Woolmark Company's Natural Art Installation Offers Raw Materials for Birds' Nests

On World Earth Day, The Woolmark Company unveils Nest Starter, an art installation that is the result of a collaboration between local weavers and The Woolmark Company and is the first phase in the brand’s ‘Merino Wool. Live with Nature.’ platform in China.

Located high up on Laojun Mountain in Yunnan, which is home to over 194 species of birds, the installation and film aim to highlight the multitude of uses for pure, raw, unwashed Merino Wool. The installation was made in collaboration with local weavers and doubles as a raw material for birds’ nests. Boldly shaped in its design, without disrupting nature, the piece invites nesting birds to peck away the fibre and build a warm nest for their hatchlings.

In the film, we see the camera track from afar, drive through the idyllic woods, and steadily land onto our bold-shaped Nest Starter installation, supers guiding our viewers to illustrate the idea for Earth Day. The installation location was carefully chosen to minimise negative impacts and maximise the utility to nesting birds. 

The underlying message is that Merino Wool is an earth-friendly fibre, it breaks down and biodegrades, as such it is able to give back to the planet in the most significant, most beautiful way - which makes it a sustainable choice for consumers. It is sourced from nature, and now has been returned to nature - no plastic and less waste. Merino Wool’s properties make it the ideal nesting material for birds (and the ideal clothing material for humans). Through this installation, The Woolmark Company wanted to ensure that its sustainability credentials are foremost in its impact-conscious target audience’s mind. This natural and sustainable fibre is a must for a progressive wardrobe.

Winson & Wanshi, partners of Mother, added: “In making this installation, and the film to support it, we wanted to deliver something beautiful which would make people think about the materials they choose. Few consumers realise that a piece of natural Merino Wool fibre could contribute to sustainability. In other words, by using Merino Wool, it is possibly one of the best things they can give back to Earth.”

Mother Shanghai was appointed by The Woolmark Company earlier in 2022 after a competitive pitch against undisclosed agencies. This work will run across owned and paid channels in China.