On the occasion of its eighth issue, Dune – Writings on Fashion, Design and Visual Culture, the academic journal founded at Università Iuav di Venezia, launches Dune On Woolshed, an open Call for Ideas dedicated to rethinking wool through the lens of research, design and cultural practice.
For this aperiodic issue, Dune adopts a new editorial format, focusing entirely on Woolshed, a three-year research and innovation project co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund within the Interreg Alpine Space programme. Woolshed explores new, sustainable and circular uses for coarse Alpine wool, a material that is currently under-valued and often treated as waste, despite its ecological, cultural and economic potential.
Dune On Woolshed invites contributions from scholars, researchers, designers, educators, practitioners, artists, curators and independent thinkers from across Europe and beyond. The call welcomes proposals that critically and creatively engage with wool in relation to history, community, ecology, fashion, design, craftsmanship and technology, with a specific focus on the Alpine region as a laboratory for interdisciplinary and grass-roots experimentation.
Submissions may take the form of essays, studies or exercises, ranging from academic research and visual essays to speculative design proposals and educational practices. Across all formats, contributors are encouraged to reflect on sustainable innovation, circular and ethical modes of production, small-scale and DIY practices, post-heritage narratives and future imaginaries for wool-based materials and value chains.
The Call for Ideas officially opens on 27 January 2026. Abstracts of up to 300 words, accompanied by one image and a short biography, must be submitted by 11 March 2026. Selected contributors will be notified by 20 March 2026, with final contributions due by 20 May 2026. The issue will be published in autumn 2026 as part of an extended ecosystem combining print, workshops and live events.
Through Dune On Woolshed, the journal becomes a space for collecting, testing and circulating ideas that contribute to a broader cultural and political reflection on sustainable materials, territorial economies and design-led transformation in the Alpine region.
Link to the Call: Dune-On-Woolshed-Call-for-Ideas-2026