Global fashion houses turning their focus on natural fibre, wool

Australian wool industry after a 20-year marketing quiet period due to the collapse of the reserve price scheme is witnessing upturn as global fashion houses are turning their focus on the natural fibre, wool.

The world has started discovering wool. The latest interest comes from internationally renowned L’Uomo Vogue from Italy who has teamed with The Woolmark Company to display Australian wool and fashion in a week-long celebration.

As part of the celebration, Sydney’s CBD shopping zone will pay homage to wool and fashion, with store windows including David Jones displaying photographs from L’Uomo Vogue archives. And the exclusive photographic exhibition “An Artful Thread Between Fashion and Style” will show at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Italian men’s magazine has also dedicated its entire March edition to Australia featuring its heritage, including woolgrowers with award-winning actor Cate Blanchett on the cover.

Bugaboo, the Dutch baby brand has started marketing 100 per cent Australian wool accessories, including pram linings and baby blankets.
Also a number of different marketing campaigns including the HRH The Prince of Wales Campaign for Wool and International Woolmark Prize had pushed wool back into the spotlight.

In fact over the past six months at least 10 countries including Russia, Japan, India and China had visited Australia to see where wool was grown.
Also the consumers are now looking for quality product and have an increasing desire to know where it comes from, that it’s natural and environmentally friendly.

Vietnamese manufacturers and processors will also be visiting Australia next week on a wool-buying mission to lift the standard in their products.