We’re thrilled to be featured in the latest issue of @hochparterre.ch ! A huge thank you to @mirjam_rombach for her thoughtful interest in our work and for giving us the opportunity to shed more light on this remarkable material! And special thanks to @nellyrodriguez.photo for her sharp and attentive eye on our samples and tests and for placing our work in such beautiful light 🤍

We may be a little late, but we really wanted to share a short recap of our 2025, a year that allowed us to grow so much and also to thank you all so much for your incredible support! This year gave us the opportunity to present our work in many different places and contexts, both in Switzerland and internationally. Thank you to our partners, colleagues and friends for the trust, collaboration and shared curiosity along the way. Wool is a material that connects land, animals and people. Valuing this material also means valuing the systems, labour and lives that sustain it. Thank you for being part of this journey 🤍

As the year comes to an end, we would like to warmly thank you for your support, conversations and exchanges throughout the year The books are almost sold out. Feel free to reach out if you would like to order a last copy before the holidays (we will be on winter break from the 23rd). We are deeply grateful for your feedback and orders 🤍 Photo: Winter transhumance in Canton Vaud, Switzerland, January 2025

Our book is still on sale until tomorrow in Copenhagen, at @raawii.dk , it’s a good opportunity to browse through it and take a look at the beautiful selection of projects for the Christmas market. In the past few months, we’ve had many great opportunities to share our research; meanwhile, our book remains available for purchase online through the form in our bio and also at the @qwstionstorezurich 🤍

Join us next week at the Kunstmuseum in St. Gallen! We’ve been invited by Tada Residency to talk about our research as part of a rich and inspiring program on collaboration! The presentation will be followed by a hands-on workshop, where participants will be able to create small samples using local wools. We hope to see you there! → Thursday, 20 November, 14:00 – 19:00 Kunstmuseum St. Gallen Museumstrasse 32 CH-9000 St. Gallen Please confirm your attendance by emailing [email protected] Registration for the workshop is mandatory. @tadaresidency @kunstmuseumsg

🐑 Last year, while conducting design research and writing for 《Herding Wool》 @herding.wool I had the privilege of meeting the experts who witnessed the complete breeding history of China’s semi-fine wool sheep. In the past October, with their help, [email protected] (my Chinese partner)and I completed our first in-depth field investigation into China‘s local sheep breeds and the frontline of the wool industry. This investigation allowed us to truly reach the frontlines of grassland animal scientists’ work, visit real high-altitude pastures and sheep flocks in China, and glimpse the truth about the current local wool market under the impact of declining global wool prices. Through exchanges with scientists and grassroots workers, we were able to understand the breeding history of China‘s semi-fine wool sheep, the history of high-altitude pasture grass improvement, and the current status of genetic conservation of local and improved sheep breeds. These insights enabled Zhiyuan and me to approach the subject from a historical yet reality-based perspective, contemplating how to enhance herders’ income through design and action while promoting sustainable grazing, improving farm animal welfare, preserving the genetic diversity of local sheep breeds, and strengthening regional cultural identity. Sincere thanks to all the experts and peers who assisted in this investigation: Dr. Quan‘s team at the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences; Station Head Tian, Mr.Zhao, and their team at the Qiaojia County Animal Husbandry Station; Mr. You from the Zhaotong Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau; Mr. Emu and his team at the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences; Mr. Munai and Mr. Xu from the Liangshan Prefecture Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau. @herding.wool project with @alix.arto @ioemmaetu supported by @prohelvetia_design #herdingwool #fieldresearch #research #wool #localsheep #indigenous #mountain #designresearch

October is full of events and we’re very happy to be able to share our research in different settings! It would be lovely to see you, otherwise there will be other great opportunities in the coming months, we’ll share more news in our newsletter! In the meantime, here’s the program for the upcoming weeks: Alptextyles, Lyon, 21.10.25 At the closing event of @alptextyles , @alix.arto will present the Alpine Wool Library, created in collaboration with Emma Casella, Nina Conrad, Fibershed DACH, and Alptextyles. A preview of the project is available on the @fibershed.dach website. → Tuesday October 21st from 9am → If you would like to join us, please get in touch. Les Beaux-Arts, Marseille, 22.10.25 Conference Study Day – Design, Water, Wool At 14:00 @alix.arto will present her practice, the Herding Wool and Wool Library projects with @tangible_festival Followed at 15:30 by a collective discussion. → Wednesday October 22nd from 9am → LOAD, Les Beaux-arts de Marseille, 184 avenue de Luminy, Marseille

As part of @tangible_festival , we have been invited to present our projects Herding Wool and the Alpine Wool Library. We will join the roundtable “Laine, du feutre et de la teinture végétale”, facilitated by Émilie Laystary. Together with @laystary @azur.world and @memori.studio_ , we will discuss contemporary practices and challenges surrounding wool. Drawing on research conducted in France, Switzerland, China, and Morocco, the conversation will highlight the enduring connections between design, fashion, and craftsmanship through this ancestral material. → Sunday October 12th at 2pm → 23 rue d’Isoard, Marseille 13001 Following the roundtable, there will be an introduction to wool felting with @azur.world and us. Together, participants will create small felt pieces enriched with naturally dyed silk, blending traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. → Sunday 12th October at 4-6pm → 23 rue d’Isoard, Marseille 13001 → From 7 years old • €5 • Register: [email protected] Photo: 云南大理喜洲金圭寺村 (Jinguisi Village, Xizhou, Dali, Yunnan Province, China)

Our book is now available in Zurich!
Thanks to our fresh wonderful collaboration, @qwstionstorezurich has become our first physical retail location!
If you haven’t had the chance to see our book yet, you can take a look at it in their beautiful space. We still have some copies available online as well, you can order it through the link in our bio!

Two weeks ago we were part of the @zurichdesignweeks exhibiting our project with @qwstion_official . In addition to showcasing our felt sample collection, the Wool Library database, and our publication, we had the chance, thanks to the support of @swisstextiles , to join @christianpaulkaegi in a talk and event to discuss our project and the role that an in-depth understanding of materials plays in design. We discussed transformation chain, local production challenges, circularity and many interesting topics. We wrapped up the week with a workshop where we combined dry and wet felting techniques to create decorative cushions using six different native Swiss wools. A huge thank you to everyone who came by and supported this inspiring exchange!

A glimpse into a beautiful collaboration from the past months. Together with Emma Casella @ioemmaetu and Nina Conrad @nina___co , and in partnership with @fibershed.dach and AlpTextyles @interregalpinespace , we developed a pilot project showcasing a curated collection of samples from native Alpine sheep breeds. Through spinning, knitting, weaving, and felting, we explored the fibre qualities of each breed—revealing their unique potential and sparking new conversations in the textile industry. This pilot is the first step towards a larger vision: the Swiss Wool Library—a long-term resource for research, education, and innovation around regional wool. By connecting science, craft, and design, we hope to reframe how this versatile fibre is valued and used, beyond just the finest grades. A heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated partners: Wool providers @lainesdici – scouring, carding, spinning, and invaluable guidance Urs Landis @topodecki – industrial knitting expertise Coraline Sandoz – artisanal weaving Magalie Nussbaumer @feutre_et_cie – artisanal wet felting Pro Verzasca – semi-industrial needle felting Tina Moor & SpinnLab HSLU – spinning tests Cecile Aschwanden – wool testing and insights … and of course, the amazing AlpTextyles team! @cassiano_ @diegorinallo & all After its first showing at Milano Unica in June, the project is now exhibited in Slovenia, and will be presented next week at QWSTION @qwstion_official @qwstionstorezurich for the @zurichdesignweeks

#EXHIBITION With circularity emerging as the new standard in design, material development is moving into focus – it takes circular materials to create products with end-of-life solutions. Considered one of the pioneers in circular design, bag brand @qwstionstorezurich is presenting this year’s Swiss Design Award winning project @herding.wool at its Flagship Store during #zdw25, with support from @swisstextiles . 📍DATE 4.–13.9.2025 OPENING HOURS THU–FRI 15:00–19:00 SAT 11:00–17:00 🟩 12.9.2025: Workshop „Focus on felt“. Registration required! ADDRESS Limmatstrasse 257 8005 Zürich #zurichdesignweeks