The award celebrates design excellence in fabrics created with 60% or more Merino wool, in forms including printed, knitted, woven and or mixed media fabric.

Chosen from 24 shortlisted Texprint designers showcasing their collections at the Texprint Village at Indigo, Première Vision, one talented designer will be presented with the prize at 3.30pm on Wednesday 18 September, 2013, by couturier Maurizio Galante.

Texprint and The Woolmark Company are pleased to announce John Walsh, managing director of Abraham Moon & Sons; Daliah Simble, head of sourcing & production, and Estelle Williams, collection development manager at Roland Mouret as the Woolmark Texprint Award prize judges.

The judges will spend time with each Texprint designer, reviewing their work, offering technical and creative advice on the benefits of working with wool. Prize judge Estelle Williams says: “Wool should be a natural choice for new designers because it is a very versatile yarn whether you are using it in knitwear, jersey or woven fabric, and of course an environmental natural resource.”

Fellow judge John Walsh agrees: “Consumers are once again appreciating that wool and other natural fibres have not only inherently better qualities but also make a better ecological and sustainable choice.” He says that he will be looking for a winner who fuses originality with commerciality while the Roland Mouret team says they will be looking for the unconventional.

The winner of the Woolmark Texprint Award will receive £1,000 prize money and access to information and training on the benefits and uses of wool from their nearest Woolmark Company office.

Peter Ackroyd, global strategic advisor for The Woolmark Company and President of International Wool Textile Organisation, says: “The Woolmark Company is delighted to continue its work with Texprint which helps to guide and support the best new design graduates into their professional lives. This is synonymous with the Woolmark Company’s mission to support new designers especially in their creative, innovative and artistic use of Merinowool.” Barbara Kennington, Texprint’s Chairman, agrees: “The Woolmark Company provides invaluable support and vital encouragement of the innovative use of wool.

Texprint strives to offer all designers that take part in the programme–from initial selection to final 24–constructiveguidance and mentoring by industry professionals.

The three judges will draw on their breadthof experience as they meet with each of the designers in the Texprint Village to discuss ways of working with wool-a fibre which offers such wide reaching creative opportunities.”

Texprint