Consumer demand driving wool industry

INNOVATION in using wool in new products is opening new markets and revitalising the industry, with flow-on benefits expected for WA woolgrowers.

That was the over-riding message Primaries of WA wool manager Greg Tilbrook derived from last week's International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) Congress in Sydney.

"Five years ago wool was declining," Mr Tilbrook said.

"Wool supplies are still declining but quality, not quantity, is going to be the message.

"The increase we are seeing now is in consumer demand.

"There has been a definite change in demand and we are starting to see a shortening of the supply chain and it's returning value to growers.

"In real terms it won't have a lot of immediate impact on the grower - he's not going to be able to change what he does in the short-term.

"But what it will do is drive the whole market in a positive direction.

"All growers will benefit."

Mr Tilbrook, who was one of a large contingent of WA wool sellers and buyers to attend the congress, said it was an exciting time to be in the industry.

"A double-sided wool fabric which was "basically a worsted fabric on one side and a cloth on the inside", popular in China for women's fashion coats the past two winter seasons, was only a beginning of new markets," he said.

Conference delegates heard about a new directional moisture transfer single-layer bi-facial wool fabric which repels water on one side and allows moisture through from the other.

"So you could be running in the rain and the water on the outside would be repelled, but your sweat on the inside is being absorbed away from your skin," Mr Tilbrook said.

Test results presented to the congress also showed wool performed better than other fibres in absorbing odours.

Coupled with new production techniques to make knitwear less "hairy", and more comfortable next to skin, and photochromatic dyes which change colour when exposed to light, potentially large-volume new markets were opening up.

"Personally, I got a lot of benefit from most of the presenters in the sense that I can see there is sports apparel and close-to-the-skin knitwear markets," Mr Tilbrook said.

"I've heard from buyers that it's on the increase - but now it is really evident that the sportswear and close-to-skin knitwear market is going to be the next big market.

"We are moving into a new marketing area.

"There is a bit happening with some of the bigger sporting companies.

"The active outdoor range, which includes hiking, bike riding, soccer jerseys - all this kind of stuff - is starting to realise the positive benefits that come with using wool."

The congress was told wool was "holding its own" against low-priced cotton and synthetics, based on innovations, quality and environmental considerations, he said.

Global consumer demographer Dr Clint Laurent's message was spending on clothes had increased 2.8 and 2.3 per cent the past two years, respectively, with a focus on quality, which gave wool a comparative advantage.

"We are now seeing a lot of empty nesters in that 40-65 age bracket that have actually got money to spend and that's the market that we need to focus on," Mr Tilbrook said.

"China's affluent market is increasing exponentially."

, but the luxury spend is still predominantly in the 'old' countries - so America, UK, Japan."

He said the thermal properties of wool, its longevity and recyclability were also raised as "positive characteristics" when marketing wool products to more affluent and discerning customers.

"Preliminary data is showing woollen apparel has a longer service life both in wearability and lower impact per wear - so you don't need to wash it as often and it has more serviceability than cotton.

"Also, the life cycle of wool is extended by reuse and recycle compared to other fibres.

"Increasingly, awareness of wool is positive, synthetics particularly are a dirty word these days," Mr Tilbrook said.

New natural-pigment dyes that did not rely on heavy metals and new natural anti-shrink chemicals were helping this perception, he said.

Apart from apparel, other possible new areas for wool included air filters to eliminate a growing problem of minute airborne plastic particles and using protein from wool as raw material for 3D printers.

A demonstration at the congress of a 3D printer with oven produced a baked, plastic-like wheel made from wool protein, Mr Tilbrook said.

He said he had met with "principal buyers" for major wool processors at the congress and was confident the message of innovation, new products, new markets and revitalisation was accurate.

"We are still going to see our normal price fluctuations - we'll never get away from that, but there is a definite increase in the perception, from a world view, that wool has positive traits and wellness characteristics.

"Because wool is in everything these days, from upholsteries to drapes to running shoes to active outdoor wear, that's the message we need to sell," he said.