GoSee 'CREATIVES TO WATCH': 'Wear Wool, Not Waste' – a provocative WOOLMARK campaign by 20something and studio birthplace as an apocalyptic fight against fast fashion
CREDITS / DETAILS / VIDEO EMBED LINK
CREDITS / DETAILS / VIDEO EMBED LINK
CREDITS / DETAILS / VIDEO EMBED LINK
With a striking visual narrative, the creative agency 20something, in collaboration with Studio Birthplace, is taking a stand against fast fashion in their new WOOLMARK campaign ‘Wear Wool, Not Waste’. Creative Director Will Thacker, co-founder of the London agency, and his team are delivering a powerful statement: the unnaturally long lifespan of synthetic clothing is staged as a dark zombie horror story, while pure wool products are depicted as a sustainable alternative that’s fit for our future.
Every piece of synthetic clothing ever produced still exists in some form, haunting our planet. The campaign aims to educate consumers about the long-term impacts of disposable fashion. Whether in landfills or as micro-plastics – plastics are globally omnipresent.
Research shows that synthetic materials like polyester can remain intact for hundreds of years. Given the vast quantities already accumulating in landfills, the scale of the problem becomes evident: ‘Wear Wool, Not Waste’ is not just a call to rethink our choices but urgent call for sustainable fashion practices and responsible resource management.
“The fast fashion industry is accelerating the environmental crisis at an alarming rate, with synthetic fibers infiltrating our bodies and polluting our planet for centuries. It’s critical that we understand the hidden impact of fast fashion, and take responsibility towards transitioning to natural, sustainable alternatives. With this film, we wanted to amplify the urgency of the issue by bringing to life the unstoppable stampede of synthetic clothes that is polluting our world – to provoke change from consumers and the industry.” Directors Sil van der Woerd & Jorik Dozy.
“In our latest ‘Wear Wool, Not Waste’ campaign with Woolmark, we visualize this unnaturally long lifespan as a zombie horror narrative and present pure wool products as a more sustainable alternative. Each empty shell of clothing is designed to resemble human figures, creating a haunting visual as they race through the streets, embodying the idea that discarded garments continue to affect our world long after they’ve been thrown away. To get the effects spot on, the SFX team brought in massive air-pressure cannons, which we ended up calling ‘anti-vacuum cannons’. These were loaded with synthetic garments and shot directly onto the set, creating a physical, interactive experience for the actors and everything around them. Clothes hit props like a bus and a car, allowing for a more realistic integration with the CGI added later.” Studio Birthplace.
“‘Wear Wool, Not Waste’ is more than a marketing campaign, it’s an urgent call to citizens and the industry at large to re-evaluate fiber choices. Merino wool is inherently natural and renewable and has the potential to be a transformational solution to fashion’s impact problem, offering a nature positive, versatile, biodegradable, recyclable, long-lasting solution.” John Roberts, Managing Director, Woolmark.
“Every single piece of synthetic fabric ever made still haunts our planet. The moment I heard this line, I knew it had to be at the heart of our new campaign for Woolmark. One disturbing fact, evoking powerful visuals – something we immediately saw as an aesthetic parallel to the horror genre, specifically a world ravaged by zombies, creeping across landscapes, smothering the earth. Synthetic fabrics are projected to make up 73% of total clothing fiber production globally by 2030. And with every piece of polyester likely to survive in our landfills, beaches, or oceans for over 200 years, we are facing a future where these materials outlive us, overtaking our world. Each fibre is a silent reminder of the cost we pay for convenience, a permanent mark on the planet’s skin. We’re not just facing a fashion crisis – we’re living in a horror story. We must change the narrative before it’s too late.” Will Thacker, co-founder, Creative Partner @ 20(SOMETHING)
20(SOMETHING) was founded in London in 2019 by Will Thacker and Andrew Barnard. 20(SOMETHING) is a full-service creative agency set up in the 20s to create strategy, design and comms that the changing world cares about. A world of new ideas from a new generation: rethinking consumerism, questioning convention and reimagining culture. We explore these with our partners, guiding them towards today’s most exciting opportunities and helping solve their biggest challenges.
CREDITS
Client: The Woolmark Company
Film Directors: Jorik Dozy & Sil van der Woerd, Studio Birthplace
Director of Photography: Lennert Hillege
CGI Director, VFX Producer, Senior Supervisor: Tim Smit
Production Company: Park Village
Creative Company: 20(SOMETHING)
Creative Director: Will Thacker
Executive Producer: Adam Booth
Creative / Copywriter: Cathryn Carey
Strategy Partner: Fran Docx
Business Lead: Anisha Obeng
Account Manager: Amy Greasby
Film & Stills Producer: Alice Windeler
Service Company: Silver Lining Pictures
Audio & Music Production: Ambit Sound
Media Agency: Craft/PMG
GoSee 20-something.com & studiobirthplace.com & woolmark.com
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