Good practice:

Hilandia Challenge. The largest virtual flock of sheep in the world.

The ignorance of the textile origin in today's society and the little value that is given to natural fibers and in particular sheep wool made Hilandia undertake a series of activities to promote textile crafts and sustainability.

In this case, they propose an activity with a solidarity objective: to create, together, the largest virtual flock of sheep in the world. For every 10 sheep that join the herd, a ball is donated to make solidarity tissue with www.laiaia.org

With a simple and fun proposal, everyone is encouraged to participate through social networks. This challenge is to raise awareness on the provision of the sheep of a quality and sustainable raw material for the creation of clothing and other uses. It is about involving any person and institution that is committed to sustainability and to the recovery of a tradition with a contemporary proposal. The goal is to get a herd of at least 500 sheep.

The direct beneficiary of this practice is the IAIA association and the people who receive the garment knitted with the donated balls. Furthermore, it is also about involving any person and institution, small industries, designers who are committed to sustainable fashion, textile associations, in short, society in general that is involved in sustainability, circular economy and responsible consumption.

This action generated one more informative element, the book "Mery Merina and her flock of balls" that allows its dissemination.

3 persons who developed project (more than 1,000 hours), 400 people have contributed by joining their sheep to the virtual herd, € 2,500 for the brochure, 50 balls of high-quality wool and cotton have been donated in the “donate your ball” campaign, valued € 200.

Gathering a herd of 500 virtual sheep.
Participation of more than 400 people.
The challenge has been used as homework in schools during lockdown and students have responded enthusiastically by sending their sheep.
Transfering the challenge into the book "Mery Merina and her flock of tangles": 260 pages with the 500 sheep collected and a testimony of each of the outstanding participants.
Media coverage: RNE R5 (Spanish National Radio) in the “Pequeteca” program.

The impossibility to meet in workshops and scheduled markets and fairs due to lockdown and the necessity to change to virtuality through social networks.
The different formats in which the participants have sent their sheep.
To gain media attention at this uncertain time.

The creativity and solidarity achieved. Finding an item that connects many people regardless of where they live. The connected and technological era in which we live has allowed to receive sheep from 8 different countries.

The work of control and data protection of the materials received from the participants is important. Legal and organizational aspects must be considered. This made all the pieces fit and work.
It is not only replicable in other sectors. In fact, a Spanish real estate company wants to start this initiative in its sector.

It is also replicable in different countries and in the sense that it can be repeated as many times as wanted; the herd can continue to grow!