The Woolmark Company and Flinders Merino Group presented the Best Use of Australian Merino Wool Award to knitwear design graduating student Duan Qiqi Annie, in recognition of her innovative graduation collection showcasing creative applications of Australian Merino wool at the PolyU Fashion Show 2025. The award presentation was successfully held at the Woolmark Company’s Wool Resource Centre on 19 August.
Annie’s collection, “Echoes of Bronze: Timeless Resilience,” draws inspiration from the ancient Sanxingdui civilisation and features exquisite 3D sculptural knitted pieces, demonstrating high-tech integration of Merino wool and advanced knitting techniques.
The Woolmark Company is the global authority on Merino wool and owns the Woolmark logo, a quality assurance symbol found on more than 5 billion products. As a not-for-profit organisation, The Woolmark Company works alongside 60,000 woolgrowers in Australia to research, develop and certify Australian wool. They support and collaborate with like-minded fashion designers and brands.
SFT would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Flinders Merino Group, Australian Wool Innovation and The Woolmark Company for their unwavering support in nurturing fashion design talents over the past 17 years. In the past, awardees had the opportunity to visit the wool farm in Australia, where they learnt more about merino wool and broadened their horizons.