Queen Letizia attended the Madrid Design Festival, where she emphasized the importance of revitalizing the Spanish wool industry, often referred to as 'white gold.' The festival, hosted at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, aims to raise awareness and promote contemporary design to rejuvenate this traditional industry. With a rich history of connecting rural communities in the Iberian Peninsula to flourishing cities in Europe, the Spanish wool industry faces dire circumstances today.

Currently, around 90% of Spanish wool lacks a commercial outlet and global consumption has plummeted to just 1% of the textile fibers in use. The decline in demand has had severe repercussions, leading to a drastic reduction in sheep farming and rural abandonment, with estimates indicating a loss of about 10 million sheep over the past fifty years. This situation threatens not just an economic sector, but the cultural practices associated with sheep herding and transhumance that have defined rural life in Spain.

The festival serves as a platform to alert the public and stakeholders about this pressing issue while seeking innovative solutions through design and industry collaboration. By promoting the sustainable use of wool and its economic potential, the event aspires to reignite interest in Spanish wool, encouraging a revival of its production and enhancing the viability of rural communities dependent on sheep farming.