Saibosi partners with Wools of New Zealand to showcase farm-to-floor wool rugs in China
Chinese textile company Saibosi has partnered with Wools of New Zealand to put the 'farm to floor' story of New Zealand wool rugs on screen for its customers.
Paul Alston believes that when comparing wool and synthetic carpets, wool wins every time.
“It is time we started dispelling the myths about wool,” he told Rural News. “Wool is a far better product. It is the forgotten fibre, and we need to be telling its story.”
Alston, as chief executive of Bremworth, is putting his company’s money where his mouth with its recent move to only produce 100% wool and natural fibre carpets.
“We didn’t believe we could be authentic about promoting the wool story if we were selling synthetic carpets and that is why we have moved to 100% natural fibres only,” he says.
Alston believes the key to telling the wool ‘story’ is reconnecting with consumers.
“It will see us heavily promoting wool’s benefits to consumers, as well as incentivising retailers,” he explains. “Science will also play an important role. We have to back up all our claims with the appropriate science and research.”
Alston says the company is already working with MPI’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Fund (SFF) in regard to things such as the superior odour, staining and fire-retardant properties of wool carpets compared with synthetics.
Alston concedes that while strong wool growers in NZ are facing tough times with record low prices, he believes that there is a good future. “The reality 60% of NZ’s strong wool goes into soft flooring, so if more people buy wool carpets – wool prices will increase.
“The industry needs a north star that it can rally behind and follow.”
Alston hopes that Bremworth’s move to 100% wool and natural fibres will be the NZ wool industry’s ‘north star’ and a catalyst for change.
He claims that the company’s move to 100% natural fibre is already creating waves in the industry – with reports of competitors following suit.
“NZ is the best at making wool carpets; we cannot compete in size and scale in synthetics. We need to concentrate on what we do best.”
Alston believes the world is ready as sustainability becomes a more and more important factor in consumer decisions.
“It takes something likes 22,000 plastic bag equivalents to carpet a house in synthetic carpet. In the US, around 5% of landfill is taken up with synthetic carpets,” he explains.
“That is not sustainable; things have to change – wool is the answer.”
HortNZ's CEO, Kate Scott says they are starting to see the substantial cumulative effects on their members of the two disastrous flood events in the Nelson Tasman region.
In an ever-changing world, things never stay completely the same. Tropical jungles can turn into concrete ones criss-crossed by motorways, or shining cities collapse into ghost towns.
Labour's agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton says while New Zealand needs more housing, sacrificing our best farmland to get there is not the answer.
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Over 85% of Fonterra farmer suppliers will be eligible for customer funding up to $1,500 for solutions designed to drive on-farm efficiency gains and reduce emissions intensity.
Tighter beef and lamb production globally have worked to the advantage of NZ, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…
OPINION: The huge success of former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson's new TV show, Clarkson's Farm, and the boost it…