Herding Wool is a collective founded in 2024 by designers Emma Casella (Switzerland), Alix Arto (Switzerland) and Yihan Zhang (the Chinese Mainland), with the support of Pro Helvetia.

The project explores wool and felt supply chains in the Chinese Mainland and Switzerland, investigates the anthropological significance of pastoral fibres, and addresses the undervaluation of diverse sheep breeds through the creation of a felt database.

Initially centred on felting techniques, Herding Wool combines material experimentation with public engagement through exhibitions and the publication of a research book.

The collective continues to collaborate on selected cross-cultural projects linking the practices and contexts of its members. While Yihan Zhang is pursuing wool research and development in the Chinese Mainland, Emma Casella and Alix Arto are strengthening the initiative's European dimension.

In 2025, Emma Casella and Alix Arto partnered with Nina Conrad from Fibershed DACH to establish a small Alpine wool library, strengthening links with industry stakeholders. In collaboration with the Interreg project AlpTextyles, the initiative expanded beyond felt to include industrial knitting, weaving and quilting. This collaboration now serves as a pilot project for the development of a future Swiss wool library.

The collective is also among the founding members of the Swiss Wool Federation, established in 2025. Alongside this engagement, Herding Wool organises workshops, delivers university and public lectures, and curates events that use its research as a catalyst for broader discussion.

Through research and collaborative projects, Herding Wool has built expertise spanning the entire wool value chain. Building on this expertise, the collective has begun collaborating with brands to design products that integrate native wool varieties.

"Dialogue is at the core of Herding Wool. We see design as a bridge connecting breeders, manufacturers, researchers, architects and brands to build new value chains around local wool. By combining research with practical implementation, collaboration becomes a tool to transform overlooked regional resources into meaningful design applications. This continuous exchange of knowledge, skills and perspectives drives innovation while strengthening local economies and supporting more transparent production systems. We believe that reconnecting people with materials, territories and production processes can challenge conventional practices and inspire a more responsible, regenerative and collaborative future for the textile and design industries." -- Alix Arto on Design in Dialogue: Connect + Transform

Portrait ©Nelly Rodriguez. Courtesy of Herding Wool