New industry body aims to unite and rebuild strong wool industry
A new levying body, currently with the working title of NZWool, has been proposed to secure the future of New Zealand's strong wool sector.
That's the claim of the Campaign for Wool NZ's (CWNZ) in its recently released 2021 annual report.
CWNZ chair Tom O'Sullivan says the trust has had a busy year and gone from "strength-to-strength".
"We've had a busy year building on our strategy and focusing on our top four priorities: communication and education, digital advancement, insight development and strengthening partnerships."
O'Sullivan says CWNZ's strategy was only released in September 2021, with a number of activities to be launched over the year ahead.
"With only three months of activity, we've made some fantastic progress," he says.
CWNZ was launched in 2011 by the Prince of Wales. It is a global initiative to highlight wool as an eco-friendy, comfortable, fashionable and more durable option than more disposable fibre alternatives.
CWNZ says its core purpose is to promote and educate the world about the benefits of wool.
O'Sullivan explains that it has a two-pronged approach: Firstly, with consumers, by increasing global demand for NZ wool at a premium in both NZ and globally; secondly with industry, by helping to lift wool prices to create and maintain commercial viability and sustainability.
"CWNZ is dedicated to influencing conscientious consumers all over the globe to buy sustainably grown New Zealand wool products."
O'Sullivan says the trust concentrated first on building awareness of wool in NZ.
"We have been working closely with our partners to build our assets and create data driven insights about how wool is perceived and used in key international markets.
"This is gaining traction in NZ and bodes well for us to launch our global strategy."
O'Sullivan believes that once consumers understand the benefits of wool, choosing it will become a lifelong and conscious decision.
"Wool is arguably the most sustainable, renewable, incredible super fire on the planet," he adds. "The trick is to talk to the right people in the right way to create a groundswell of demand."
In 2021, CWNZ had an annual budget of $583,000, which is funded by New Zealand wool growers.
On Top of the World!
NZ made wool carpet will be gracing the floors of a new $1.1 billion New York skyscraper.
Kiwi carpet company Bremworth has secured a US export contract to supply one of New York's tallest skyscrapers with its wool flooring product.
The new contract will see Bremworth supply over 3,000sqm of wool carpet for the 93 storey, super-tall skyscraper - one of the company's largest ever installations of its natural fibre product in the US.
Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith says the contract is a significant endorsement for the New Zealand wool industry.
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Kiwi carpet company Bremworth will supply carpets for the Brooklyn Tower. |
"The landmark Brooklyn Tower will have 550 residential apartments with multi-million-dollar entry points and will stand over 100 metres taller than the next tallest building in this borough of New York," he explains.
"The selection of our wool carpet for this project is a testament to the quality of both New Zealand wool as well as Bremworth's manufacturing capability."
Smith says their New Zealand-made carpets command a price premium in the US market.
"The use of Bremworth products in high profile in high profile installations such as the Brooklyn Tower provides us with a unique marketing opportunity to grow our presence and exports of New Zealand wool in this lucrative market."
