BEHIND THE BRAND
Why Iris and Wool?
Iris and Wool is a company with authenticity and sincerity. The Iris in the name is in honour of Emily’s mum – it was her favourite flower.
The company is delighted to donate knitted beanies to the SA recently cancer-diagnosed children. Also, the brand donates $1 from each sale to the Childhood Cancer Association.. In a world where most companies are only obsessed with profit, Emily’s early loss has ensured she’s built a business based on philanthropy, sustainability and love.
Iris & Wool is an Australian fashion brand that has built a reputation on producing luxury designs of the highest quality from 100 per cent Australian merino wool.
Driven by an unwavering pursuit to promote Australian merino wool worldwide, Iris & Wool seeks to support and nurture the local community and industry of wool producers with clothing traced directly back to our farms. They are proud to have recently achieved the coveted — and internationally recognised —Woolmark.
With an overriding commitment to sustainability and a focus on slow-fashion with limited collections that transcend trends and time, Iris & Wool have established a loyal following and are carried in 30 independent stockists Australia-wide.
Their collections have organically evolved to include womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, as well as embracing other natural luxury fibres.
“Not only is Australia the world’s largest producer of wool but this pure yarn is renewable, biodegradable, sustainable and made from Australian sunshine, grass, and water,” Emily Riggs, Iris & Wool Founder and Creative Director.
After cancer struck, twice, Emily Riggs designed a life with purpose.
When she was just 9 years old, Riggs was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Shortly after her diagnosis, her mother lost her own cancer battle, passing away from breast cancer, aged 43. In her most difficult days, Emily found herself turning to fashion for comfort and to express her creative flair.
Years later, Riggs found love with Tom, a fifth-generation merino sheep farmer. Together, their family runs 15,000 merino sheep across 4 properties in Burra, South Australia.
In 2019, Riggs founded Iris
& Wool and finally realised her dream to design, merging her love of fashion with merino wool.
Emily hopes you enjoy wearing the Iris & Wool label as much as she has loved creating and designing it for you.
