The listed company invited Primary Industries Minister Damien O’Connor to the head office at Papatoetoe, Auckland, to mark the occasion and tour the plant.
O’Connor welcomed the new strategy and said other NZ primary sector companies should follow the Bremworth lead.
“It’s beyond moving from volume to just value, but further into values focused on sustainability and climate change,” O’Connor said.
“New generations of consumers need to reconnect with wool and the tide is moving with us.
“But the story doesn’t tell itself and Bremworth has a great story to tell.
“More than ever, consumers are considering the entire life-cycle of products.
“This programme will spur demand for NZ strong wool and enhance our manufacturing competitiveness through strong environmental credentials that challenge industry norms.
“If we get this right, then that’s a compelling yarn we can sell to our markets abroad.”
Cavalier Corporation chair George Adams says decision to go all-wool would reduce the use of imported synthetic fibres annually by 2500 tonnes.
The company will now focus on natural fibre design, science and innovation to make home interiors healthier and more sustainable.
The Government has contributed $1.9 million towards a $4.9m sustainability research programme employing graduates from University of Auckland and with inputs from other research providers.
The aim is to replace the 13% of wool carpet contents not already sustainable – polypropylene primary backings and latex glues – with natural and long-lasting natural fibres.
“Going all in with wool is the right move for our business, our customers, our local communities and the planet,” Adams said.
The company has published its new strategy in a consumer booklet to be available in flooring stores and online at bremworth.co.nz
“Plastic is a global problem and synthetic carpet fibres are made from plastic,” it states on its website.
An average NZ house laid with synthetic carpets is estimated to have the equivalent weight of 22,000 plastic shopping bags on its floor.
Microplastics, microfibres and nanoplastics are all generated in the home and transmitted on the air, with garbage or in waterways.
NZ imports over 15,000t of synthetic carpet yarn annually and stopping that at source must be the best solution to plastic waste, the company said.
Among the positive reasons for wool carpets are natural odour control, durability, stain-resistance, non-allergenic, fire resistance, improvement in warmth and acoustics and 100% renewable.
When founded by the late Tony Timpson and engineer Grant Biel 50 years ago, Cavalier only made woollen carpets and it purchased the name Bremworth from UEB.
It was coined by the late Doug Bremner in 1959 as the Bremworth Carpet Company in Papatoetoe, then purchased by UEB Industries in 1967.
Former UEB executives Timson and Biel founded Cavalier in 1972.
Cavalier Corporation has three plants and it includes the wool buyer Elco Direct.
