The inaugural WoolCycle event, organized by Cape Wools SA, took place earlier this year in Cape Town. It brought together key stakeholders from across South Africa to engage in discussions about the challenges and opportunities within the wool value chain. The purpose of these discussions was to explore the potential of establishing a strong wool industry in South Africa that promotes sustainability, inclusivity, ethical practices, and meets the demands of responsible consumers.
Leading the discussions was Jackie May, the founder of the online platform Twyg. Through this platform, she focuses on sustainable living and creates content, exhibitions, campaigns, storytelling projects, and events aimed at inspiring positive change. The roster of speakers featured established designers, buyers/processors, spinners, weavers, retailers, and vertical brands.
During the event, a diverse range of topics were covered, such as exploring strategies to tackle issues in the South African wool value chain, promoting the creation of sustainable and circular South African products, amplifying the value of South African designers by showcasing the unique, traceable, and eco-friendly attributes of South African wool, broadening the reach of South African consumers, and creating a supportive environment for local designers and manufacturers by commercial spinners.
In terms of future direction, the goal is to revolutionize the South African natural fibre industries by nurturing innovation, encouraging creativity, and promoting seamless collaboration across the entire wool value chain.