It's UK Wool Week + Waitrose Woolly Bag Update

It's that time of year again - the beginning of October means it's UK Wool Week, just in time for all of us thinking of getting our knitted jumpers out to wear in the colder, seasonal weather.

Image courtesy of The Campaign For Wool

Organised by The Campaign for Wool, UK Wool Week brings together designers, manufacturers and retailers to celebrate all things British wool. Forget nasty polyester and acrylic that masquerade as yarns, nothing can beat the warmth, durability and eco-friendliness of real wool.

The celebrations kicked off today in Savile Row, London, where two sheep breeds are grazing, posing with male models promoting wool for menswear.

Friday 9th October has been designated 'Woolly Hat Day' where supporters will wear their finest woolly hats to support the charity The Mission to Seafarers'. This week will also see a pop up exhibition in central London showcasing the Year of the Sheep; a wool talk at London department store Heals on Thursday 8th October at 6pm; and online talks by the 'Incrediwools' - key designers in the knitwear industry, including Wool and the Gang.

Elsewhere, retailers are getting in the woolly spirit offering special discounts this week. Loveknitting has an 'up to' 30% off wool sale, whilst Deramores is offering 20% off wool and wool-blend yarns. Blacker Yarns this week is offering all its single breed limited edition balls at £4.50 or less.

Want to knit something for charity during UK Wool Week? The UK Hand Knitting Association (click for the full list) has collated a list of charities that would be delighted to receive donations from its 'commit to knit' campaign. It includes knitted knockers, blankets for animals and clothes for premature babies. There's something there to suit all knitters' tastes and causes.

Waitrose Wool Bags Update

Image courtesy of The Campaign For Wool

I previously blogged here about Waitrose's special edition, all wool shopping bag. As today a 5p per plastic bag charge has been introduced in England, reusable bags are even more topical.

My heckles rose when I found out that Waitrose bag was only available in three upmarket central London stores: Belgravia, Gloucester Road and Marylebone.

Finally the supermarket has plans to broaden its horizons and make the woolly bags available in more stores. These will be:



From 5th October: Kings Road, Wimbledon and Oxford Street
From 19th October: Morningside, Bath and Ipswich
From 2nd November: Barnes, Putney and Richmond
From 16th November: Exeter, Harrogate and Witney.

Now I appreciate that Waitrose doesn't exactly open stores in run down areas, but the new locations to buy the bags are all posh and mainly Southern. Come on Waitrose, make them available in ALL your stores. Wool is for everyone, not just those who live in the wealthiest English postcodes.