The Woolmark Company stand at the ISPO trade fair.

AUSTRALIAN wool has shown its versatility to hundreds of thousands of textile manufacturers, retailers and designers and consumers at recent key global trade events in the northern hemisphere.

Australian Wool Innovation said at recent Outdoor Retailer and international sporting goods trade events in Salt Lake City, USA, and in Munich, Germany, wool has enjoyed increased attention from those looking for the latest fabrics that use a fibre produced in a natural environment from a renewable source.

The wool presentations have been aided by the most recent edition of The Wool Lab from the Woolmark Company, showing the latest fabric samples in sport and active outdoor wear, and the latest technological innovations. These included circular knit fabrics with pronounced structures and seamless garments in new yarns, AWI said.

The 100 percent wind-resistant, water-resistant fabric being used by various brands also created a lot of interest, AWI said. One of those using this new fabric is Norwegian company Devold, one of the oldest outdoor brands in the world and whose 100pc wool jacket won the ISPO award in the outdoor garment category. Devold product and business director Vidar Thorvik said the inspiration to use the new fabric came from contact with The Woolmark Company.

“It started one year ago at the Woolmark stand at ISPO and we were shown this new fantastic fabric.

“We’ve been quite busy this last year to be ready to launch it this fall.”

Vidae said the reason wool is still central to the company’s products is that environmental issues are important.

“One trend is that things should be natural.

“Wool is natural, it’s a miracle fibre,” he said.

“It won’t be destroying the earth, it’s renewable.

“So a 100pc natural fibre is fantastic so it’s important to have alternatives to synthetics.”

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Kristoffer Ulriksen category managing director Helly Hansen said the company has been using Merino wool since 2000.

“We’re growing what we are doing with pure Merino wool because it’s what our customers want because it is superb at keeping you warm and comfortable.”

“Merino wool is a more expensive fibre, but the interesting thing is that we’re seeing more and more markets and consumers understanding the benefits of Merino wool,” he said.

“They are willing to pay more to get that added benefit of warmth and comfort.

“You can get very cheap synthetic base-layer but it simply doesn’t deliver that type of quality and comfort that people want.”

AWI, through its marketing arm, The Woolmark Company, has been attending trade shows such as ISPO and Outdoor Retailer for more than 10 years, demonstrating and showcasing the features and versatility of Australian wool as part its strategy to influence demand for the fibre.

Source: AWI.