A SMALL selection of wool from an increasing number of WA growers is set to be used for a new luxury wool brand as part of an arrangement brokered by the export division of growing local agribusiness, Westcoast Wool & Livestock.
After fielding strong interest from European processors for niche market wool types, the company’s export division has since partnered with Chargeurs Luxury Materials to source wool for its eco-friendly brand.
Westcoast Wool & Livestock export manager William Davidson said the arrangement with Chargeurs would provide for specialist WA wools to be selected for the company’s Organica Precious Fibre brand at market premiums.
“Following the enquiries through to our export division for these specialist wools, we have teamed with Chargeurs to provide a niche marketing opportunity for select WA growers,” Mr Davidson said.
“This will be a small, but exciting prospect for an increasing number of growers and extends on our strong core focus to maximise market opportunities and returns for all WA woolgrowers.’’
Mr Davidson said Chargeurs representatives had been meeting with the Westcoast Wool & Livestock team and WA growers from earlier this year to identify suitable wools, and the developments had been promising.
The selected wools will be able to be sold on forward contract, via direct trade or through the traditional auction system, ensuring maximum returns for growers.
Launched in 2017 by Chargeurs Luxury Materials, Organica is a premium, eco-friendly Merino wool label with a focus on traceability, sustainability and social responsibility.
Compared with other leading wool labels, Organica has the most complete and ambitious protocol for traceable and eco-friendly wool.
This includes blockchain traceability, allowing customers full transparency to track the product’s journey from the farm right through the supply chain, which is now increasingly demanded by today’s consumers.
Chargeurs Luxury Materials sourcing manager Nicolas Sapelli said Organica wool would most likely be used as a raw material for fashion and technical yarns for the outdoors market, but the company also envisaged a wider appeal as the brand developed.
“Organica was only launched a year ago and since then we have experienced a continued increase in demand and enquiries,” Mr Sapelli said.
“As such, volumes forecasted have had to be revised on many occasions.
“Suppliers have had to expand their horizons to keep the quality as the main priority, but also to be able to source our growing demand, which is why Organica recently landed in WA with some excitement.”
Mr Sapelli said the concept behind the brand was relaying the story behind the wool, introducing the consumer to the grower, their daily challenges and their passion for breeding sheep and producing quality wool.
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“This also requires a commitment from the grower,” he said.
“There is a protocol to follow and accreditation, including the wool coming from non-mulesed sheep, is required to be part of the program.
“As a result, growers will get a premium for their wool, as it is only fair.’
“The power of Organica relies on them, so it is vital to have each of our Organica certified growers being proud to be part of this project and happy with what they are getting for their wool.”
Following the visits to WA by Chargeurs and the Organica sourcing team, Mr Sapelli said the company, together with Westcoast Wool & Livestock, was excited by the possibilities for Organica in WA.
“We met growers who are a perfect match for the program – growers extremely passionate for their sheep and the wool they grow, making the farming of sheep a way of life, producing at top level and happy to tell their story,’’ he said.
“The wool Westcoast has sourced for us in WA so far has the properties and characteristics we are looking for in the Organica program.”
- For further information about the Organica program in WA, growers can contact Westcoast Wool & Livestock on 9418 8448.
