WITH 2600 bales certified as Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) up for auction, comprising almost 8 per cent of the national wool offering, last week's was one of the biggest RWS volumes offered in Australia.
In a normal week RWS-certified wools comprise about 3pc of the national offering and are mainly sold through the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) Melbourne and Sydney selling centres.
- Subscribers have access to download our free app today from the App Store or Google Play
But possibly for the first time, a significant commercial quantity of the RWS offering last week was put up at the Western Wool Centre (WWC).
Westcoast Wool & Livestock - the first local broker to join the RWS program - listed five of its RWS-certified clients' clips for auction at the WWC last week.
RWS is an international program covering the entire wool supply chain, from farm to garment manufacturer.
It has been widely adopted by South African and New Zealand woolgrowers, with as much as 60 per cent of the South African wool clip RWS certified.
For woolgrowers, becoming RWS certified involves audits of their sheep and wool enterprises, including inspections of paddocks for shelter and water and shearing sheds for possible stock injury risks.
Being declared non-mulesed is a prerequisite for RWS certification.
Most wool brokers are now RWS certified and large national brokers like Nutrien Ag Solutions have appointed a national RWS wool manager, but in WA Westcoast Wool & Livestock remains the most proactive in marketing RWS wools.
It joined the program about three years ago.
In the Eastern States, where more RWS certified woolgrowers are located, the Melbourne and Sydney AWEX selling centres have offered a growing quantity of RWS wools for the past eight years.
Two wool buyers at the WWC to welcome last week's commercial quantity offering of RWS wools were Swan Wool Processors' father-and-son team, Paul and Max Foley.
They bought the majority of the RWS certified lambs' wool, pieces, bellies and oddments on offer there.
Paul Foley explained RWS certified wool and similar internationally-recognised sustainability programs, like the OEKA-TEX 100 standard which monitors chemicals used in scouring wool, were an important part of Swan Wool Processors' business.
"It's (trading in RWS wools) only one part of the business, but it is a very rewarding part of it," Mr Foley said.
"As a commercial reality we have a 'green' trading vehicle and RWS is a part of that.
"We do it (trade in RWS wools) because our clients (commercial spinners and weavers) ask us for it.
"If we get 10 enquiries in a week, seven would be for RWS.
"The main reason RWS is commercially viable is that it goes all the way through the supply chain, from the farm, to ourselves as exporters, to the processors, as in scourer and top maker, to the spinner, the fabric maker, the garment manufacturer - each part of the chain has to be accredited for RWS.
"It is not just Europe, China is into RWS too, all the big top makers - Tianyu, Redsun - they're RWS accredited.
"The program is well audited and gives everyone along the chain the confidence they are dealing with like-minded businesses complying with a recognised standard.
"The reason it works is it is being pushed from the top - by the consumer and the brands - not by us.
"But while it is driven by the top end, it adds value at each step along the supply chain."
Mr Foley said Swan Wool Processors was asked by clients to supply RWS wools long before they were available in WA and it continues to source most RWS wools out of Melbourne and Sydney selling centres because of a lack of regular local selection.
He and Max this week will be on a plane to Europe to meet with clients and potential clients on the periphery of ISPO Munich, the world's largest outdoor activity and sports trade exhibition.
They expect a lot of their discussions will be about RWS wools because the rapid development of wool technology has opened up new outdoor activity markets for specialised wool apparel and, essentially, people who get out in the environment, care about it and also care about where their clothes come from.
"Every client we go and see, they want to know where the wool comes from, whether it is sustainably produced, where is it scoured, what sort of detergent do they use?" Mr Foley said.
"Every client wants to know about animal husbandry, about the soils, about the chemicals used on the farm and at each subsequent step along the supply chain.
"They want to be reassured that the system is sustainable and responsible because their customers are asking them to demonstrate that.
"But they also don't want complication either, so a recognised standard, with each step of the supply chain being accredited, is a relatively simple way of being able to demonstrate to a consumer via a swing tag or label, that a garment complies with the standard.
"There is definitely demand (for RWS wools) from all segments of the market.
MORE GREAT READS:
"You'd have your head in the sand if you didn't think it was real.
"It's an exciting development for us because it's not green washing, which you see around a lot, it's actually proven.
"It's not for everyone, we recognise that, but it is a growth segment in the industry.
"Eighty per cent of Australian woolgrowers still mules, that doesn't bother us, we deal in wool from mulesed sheep as well."
