#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2012-02-24

Mark Fast and Richard Nicoll fly the flag for Merino wool at London Fashion Week

The Woolmark Company continues its support of two great design talents Mark Fast and Richard Nicoll who showed Merino wool’s great versatility during their shows at London Fashion Week.

+ Mark Fast being interviewed by Vogue TV

+ Richard Nicholl’s A/W 2012/13 collection

Richard Nicoll broke from tradition and presented his paired down collection in a ‘stylised’ factory line setting allowing the guests to touch and interact with his clothes throughout the day. Merino wool herringbone and flannel was spliced with silk georgette and crepe to create a contrast of textures. Richard created a very trans-seasonal collection where Merino played a leading roll giving the garments depth and substance.

Mark Fast presented a slightly nostalgic collection inspired by the 1920s. Mark has really pushed the boundaries of Merino in knitwear demonstrating how adaptable a fibre it is. From his well-known body conscious knits to ankle length dresses with tumbling cables he is not afraid of experimenting with Merino. Mark commented, “Working with Woolmark has been a great continued collaboration. I have been able to research new fibres to create the most luxurious, soft Merino wool pieces and I have met people who are really passionate about the utilisation of wool in today’s fashion industry.”

Through these collaborations The Woolmark Company is able to challenge people’s perceptions of Merino wool and demonstrate that Merino is a luxuriously soft, versatile and relevant fibre for fashion today and it is a natural renewable resource. Mark Fast and Richard Nicoll demonstrate perfectly how creative you can be with Merino in knitwear and in wovens. The Woolmark Company has worked with both designers to help them discover and source innovative fabrics and yarns from suppliers around the world to inspire their collections.

Through their on-going work with emerging and established designers The Woolmark Company aims to talk to new consumers about the unique qualities of Merino wool and asks them to consider it as a fibre of the present and the future.

Merino wool moves into China’s high-performance sportswear market

China’s leading sportswear brands are beginning to treat Merino wool not as a lifestyle material, but as a performance input as natural fibres move from the margins of sportswear into elite technical applications. That shift is increasingly evident in the material strategies of major domestic groups such as ANTA.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.

Keeping products moving with Swedish automation at FILTECH 2026

At FILTECH 2026, taking place in Cologne from June 30th to July 2nd, members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – will highlight how the country’s engineering expertise is enabling filtration manufacturers to increase productivity, improve traceability and reduce dependence on labour-intensive manual processes.