Wool is not always the first fiber one associates with spring and summer – but that could well change for 2017 if Jason Wu and The Woolmark Company have their way.

The two have joined forces, and two months ago, Wu traveled to Australia, where he visited visited a wool-producing property in Marulan, New South Wales. Merino wool is natural, renewable, and biodegradable, and will play a starring role in the Spring/Summer 2018 collection he is unveiling at New York Fashion Week on Sept.9.

The trip was part of Wu’s partnership with The Woolmark Company. The designer is not only a judge for the International Woolmark Prize in the U.S., but he is also an ambassador for the global authority on wool. And while down under, he also judged the International Woolmark Prize Australia regional final.

“Partnering with The Woolmark Company really allowed me to further explore and develop wool for summer,” Wu said. “What my Spring/Summer 17 collection does is push the boundaries with conventional seasons, creating year-round luxurious pieces, which I could achieve by working with wool.”

Many of the wool pieces in the collection will have a Woolmark certification, and are natural, breathable, and soft, and delivered with a trans-seasonal philosophy in mind and in deep, saturated and vibrant colors. The wovens include a burnout technique resulting in a dot pattern, a lightweight tailoring fabric, and an ultra-soft, open-weave printed gauze.

“Jason’s meticulous attention to detail and innovative vision makes him a perfect partner to demonstrate the timelessness and versatility of Australian Merino wool,” said The Woolmark Company Managing Director Stuart McCullough.