Archived challenge - 2019

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Wool the wonder fabric

Wool is a super fabric! It has lots of amazing qualities that make it useful for making a range of products. However, man-made fabrics are frequently used in the fashion industry. Synthetic fabrics can damage the environment as they are not always biodegradable and can cause microfibres to be released into our rivers and oceans.

The Challenge:

Design a unique clothing product using British wool as a key material and explain its benefits for the wearer user and for the environment.

Alongside your design, we would like you to submit an advertisement for your product that explains its benefits. You could present this as a poster, video, persuasive letter, presentation, speech- however you like! You also need to show an understanding of the different types of British wool and why the chosen sheep breed is the right one for your product.

We’ll be judging the entries based on four criteria: how well you’ve solved the problem, creativity & innovation, the environmental impact of your design and the benefits the design will have for farmers and food producers.

The Prize

  • A fully-funded farm visit for up to 35 children from your school.
  • Travel and expenses for up to five children and two adults to attend a VIP winners’ event at the House of Commons where you will showcase your Farmvention and receive a unique Farmvention trophy.
  • Your design being turned into a prototype by a professional clothing designer.
There will be one winning entry from each of the following categories:
  • KS1 (Years 1 & 2)
  • Lower KS2 (Years 3 & 4)
  • Upper KS2 (Years 5 & 6)

All entrants will become certified ‘farmventors’ and receive a reward pack including a certificate and mini prize. Entries close on 23 December 2019.

What might your submission look like?

It’s up to you what your submission looks like and may well depend on the age category. Some ideas we might expect to see are:

  • A video showing an explanation of the design, any research that has been done and any specific problems the design solves
  • Pictures – either hand drawn or digital
  • An advertisement or pitch of the final design
  • A PowerPoint or Prezi Presentation
  • Photographs of models/prototypes made using recycled materials, construction toys or robotics kits

The sky is the limit and we definitely encourage creativity! We can accept most document, image and video file types.