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Paper short abstract

How is wool used to shape imaginaries of Gotland as a tourist destination? This paper examines the portrayal of wool products in tourism and marketing literature, exploring how they are used as symbols of authenticity and nature-bound lifestyles.

Paper long abstract

Wool is a central material and symbol of Gotland’s cultural identity and tourism branding. In promotional narratives, wool products - ranging from handcrafted textiles to contemporary fashion designs - are presented as evidence of the island’s unique natural features, as well as symbols of its cultural heritage.

These narratives convey the textures and sensations of nature through the material, offering buyers a direct tactile experience that connects them with notions of authenticity. By emphasising its characteristics, such as softness, coarseness, scent, and warmth, the material becomes a conduit for an immersive encounter with the island itself.

However, these narratives also highlight tensions between commodification and heritage, rawness and refinement, and lived experience and marketed imagery. Wool stands at the intersection of these contrasts, mediating notions of identity and Gotland’s portrayal as a place of authenticity and uniqueness.