We recently had the Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG) formed amongst great fanfare but I’ve yet to see much come out of it.
I’ve spoken to farmers about the issue and they’re grumpy.
I’ve heard them say:
“They have no runs on the board, the current price of strong wool is witness to that.”
“It’s ridiculous when we must earn money from other parts of the farm to pay for our shearing.”
“They’re disappointing from a farmer’s point of view. We don’t have time to muck about. If we don’t get major improvement in the next few years the entire industry is at risk.”
“Compulsory acquisition should be revisited”
“The future seems to be with Wiltshires and Dorpers.”
And, there are many more comments of a similar ilk.
Speaking to the industry was also interesting.
They said:
“We put money into it. We weren’t given much information.”
“We’ve asked for a strategic document. It hasn’t happened.”
“We’ve put money into every farmer wool outfit over the years and got nothing out of it.”
I googled Strong Wool Action Group and there was much heat and little light.
They came out of the 2018 Wool Summit that bred the Wool Action Group (WAG) that morphed into SWAG. They’ve raised $500,000, appointed a chief executive and plan to “lift strong wool out of the doldrums”.
There’s been an American design thinking research company appointed to undertake research there and they’re recruiting a business analyst.
The chief executive says “they’re getting tremendous support”, that “outside thinking is critical” and that “SWAG is off to a promising start”.
His words not mine.
I became a tad grumpy after reading how synthetics produce microplastics that pollute the oceans. There was an average of 40 plastic particles for every cubic metre of sea water and that is massive.
Reading further, I found out that polyester fibres also pollute the air creating a danger to human health.
Polyester also encourages fashion overproduction and waste. It is made from fossil fuels and can’t be recycled. It isn’t biodegradable and sheds toxic microfibres.
It’s said eight million tonnes of microplastics enter the ocean each year.
Microplastics have entered the food chain and on average, people ingest five grams a week, equal to the weight of a credit card.
According to the World Wildlife Fund microplastics “harm marine and human health, litter beaches and landscapes and clog streams and landfills”. Microplastics are also silently choking our planet.
Seventy million barrels of oil are used annually to create polyester.
What that tells me is that with nylon carpets and polyester clothing you have a huge use of fossil fuels, massive pollution and threats to human health.
Conversely with wool you have a natural fibre that doesn’t pollute but breaks down in the environment. It is fire resistant, durable and repels moisture. It is comfortable to wear, wrinkle resistant and insulates the wearer.
Why wouldn’t you use wool? Simply because synthetics are and always will be cheaper and that’s the challenge and that’s where I have a problem.
Everyone wants to save the planet. The Government is encouraging electric vehicles and subsidising them. They still cost a lot more than a conventional car. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and make the world a better place.
You can achieve all of those aims with the use of wool.
People rave about farmers polluting while hypocritically encouraging far more pollution with their clothing and carpets.
While wool is versatile and can be used in insulation and niche market products, it is carpets that will be the salvation of our strong wool industry.
So, to get wool carpets back in fashion.
Dispel the myth promoted by SAFE that sheep have to be killed for their wool.
Explain how wool is a natural fibre grown on grass-fed sheep. They produce a new fleece each year making wool the most sustainable product ever. Discarded wool composts, it doesn’t pollute.
Ask the Government to save the planet by encouraging wool carpet in all government facilities.
Mount an international online campaign showing the environmental advantages of wool over synthetics.
Those are my views only but were created without the assistance of an American consultancy or hot shot business analyst.
One bright spot was talking to Cavalier Bremworth who had pledged to just make wool carpets. Their marketing communications manager Padgett Johnson told me the company had “received overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff, customers, the general public and our rural farming communities. Wool carpet and rugs are the optimum offer for consumers. Not only is wool the best fibre for design, innovation and performance on the floor, it’s also 100% natural, biodegradable and renewable.”
It’s great to have someone with runs on the board.
