Woolmark and Nissan want to change our idea of wool

I admit I had my doubts when I was told to enter a Grand Prix in the scorching heat of Rome to discover the potential of merino wool. Indeed, the rationalist environment of the EUR was the venue for the Italian ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 2023, where the world of motorsport is attempting to become sustainable by relying on electricity rather than fossil fuels. Instead, Woolmark chose this very stage to experiment with the Nissan Formula E team on new fabrics and materials that can help drivers and mechanics perform at their best without compromising the environment.

Indeed, the whole mission of Formula E is to deliver exciting and exhilarating car racing, while developing technologies that will also become increasingly important for everyday life, not just performance, in the years to come. Everything revolves around three principles: Energy, Environment and Entertainment, combining engineering, technology, sport, science, design and music. And the zero-emission machines make city and even indoor racing tracks possible, making them much more accessible than other sports on four wheels. For example, the paddock can be set up and dismantled in a few hours, the single-seaters do not need to be replaced as often as in Formula 1, and all the materials used are sustainable.

Woolmark has always looked at the intrinsic qualities of wool and exploited the potential of its possibilities, working both with local producers who have been tending flocks of merino sheep for generations and with engineers who are discovering new ways to use the yarn. No longer synonymous with woven jumpers, merino wool may become the material of the future thanks to its sustainability, versatility and biodegradability. Especially with the technical development being explored and implemented through partnership initiatives such as the one with the Nissan Formula E team, for which Woolmark has produced the uniforms for drivers and mechanics.

Designed and developed for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the unrivalled natural benefits of wool provide the performance and comfort needed to work fast on the global stage of zero-emission electric vehicle racing. This was also the case in the Rome paddock, where impossible temperatures did not stop the continuous improvement of Sasha Fenestraz and Norman Nato's cars for the two races on the Rome weekend. Further proof of Woolmark's work and the endless possibilities of a material that is as ancient as it is futuristic.