Alix Arto

Herding Wool is a collective founded in 2024 by designers Emma Casella (Switzerland), Alix Arto (Switzerland) and Yihan Zhang (the Chinese Mainland), with the support of Pro Helvetia. The project explores wool and felt supply chains in the Chinese Mainland and Switzerland, investigates the anthropological significance of pastoral fibres, and addresses the undervaluation of diverse sheep breeds through the creation of a felt database. Initially centred on felting techniques, Herding Wool combines material experimentation with public engagement through exhibitions and the publication of a research book. The collective continues to collaborate on selected cross-cultural projects linking the practices and contexts of its members. While Yihan Zhang is pursuing wool research and development in the Chinese Mainland, Emma Casella and Alix Arto are strengthening the initiative's European dimension. In 2025, Emma Casella and Alix Arto partnered with Nina Conrad from Fibershed DACH to establish a