Dr Paul Swan

RESPECTED wool industry consultant Dr Paul Swan has been appointed inaugural manager of the SustainaWOOL program by its new owner the Australian Wool Exchange.

AWEX announced the appointment last week, saying it signalled its intention to “grow the scheme to provide new and additional benefits along the global wool supply chain.”

AWEX said SustainaWOOL is the world’s largest wool integrity scheme, providing confidence to markets that Australian wool is of high quality and produced to high standards.

The market services company said Dr Swan has extensive experience in wool production and wool textile research in Australia and internationally, including over a decade in senior executive roles for Australian Wool Innovation. He has also held a number of past roles for the International Wool Textile Organisation, including chairing the IWTO Sustainable Practices, Product Wellness, and Wool Trade Biosecurity Working Groups.

Dr Swan is currently a technical advisor to the IWTO in the field of eco-credentials, is a member of the IWTO Sustainable Practices Working Group, and has also represented IWTO in the United Nations LEAP Program and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. He has a doctorate in the field of wool science, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also a non-executive Director of Laboratories Credit Union.

Ownership of the SustainaWOOL Integrity Scheme was transferred to AWEX in July 2019 by its former owners prominent Italian fabric makers Successori Reda and Vitale Barberis Canonico.

AWEX said more than 950 properties have been accredited through SustainaWOOL since 2015 and the program has built a reputation for adding significant value to its members, the Australian wool industry and customers along the supply chain.

AWEX chief executive officer Mark Grave said AWEX is committed to SustainaWOOL and Dr Swan’s appointment is an important step toward creating new opportunities along the supply chain.

“Paul is well known in the wool industry both in Australia and across all wool producing countries and is well-placed to grow SustainaWOOL in all markets.”