According to a survey conducted by IWTO member China Wool Textile Association (CWTA) fewer than 40% of mills are able to reach 80% of their production capacity, and many mills say their capacity utilization rate is less than 50%. This information was prepared for one of six pre-recorded video sessions in lieu of the cancelled annual IWTO conference in May. According to the data from China’s national bureau of sta... Read More

The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee (AWPFC) has updated its forecast of shorn wool production for the 2019/20 season. This fourth forecast is for production to be 281 million kilograms (mkg) greasy, a 6.3% decline on the estimate of 300 mkg greasy in 2018/19. Relatively widespread rain has been welcomed through south eastern Australia and along the eastern seaboard in the first quarter of 2020. ... Read More

Gains were seen at wool sales this week for all wool types.  Bales offered 18.828. Clearance 92%. G. Schneider reported ‘small but positive gains across the whole offering and  all types from superfine merino to crossbred and cardings were improved by similar percentages. This report also noted that a few ultrafine wools 15.5 and finer are attracting good competition in small supply. The selection is also starti... Read More

NZ sales saw the first South Island offering post lockdown with 7,000 bales for sale.  The selection consisted of good/average colour ewe fleece 34.0 to 38.0 micron mainly good colour second shears, 35.0 to 38.0 micron and associated fleece, shear and lamb oddments.  Even with a reduced demand for most types, the auction prices remained relatively firm.  66% of growers met the market with 34% passed in.  Most of the... Read More

In light of the current Covid-19 pandemic ITMA ASIA + CITME 2020 has been rescheduled to 2021 despite receiving a strong response from exhibitors. Originally slated to be held in October, the combined show will now take place from 12 to 16 June 2021 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC), Shanghai. According to show owners CEMATEX and Chinese partners, the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (... Read More

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program was announced by President Donald J. Trump. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will play a key role in getting the American sheep industry back on track, starting with lamb feeders who were particularly hard hit by the recent crash in lamb prices. And while the announcement was welcome news for many in the sheep and wool industries, even better news came late when Secretary... Read More

A recovery fund worth €750bn (£670bn; $825bn) has been proposed by the EU’s executive Commission to help the EU tackle an “unprecedented crisis”. The package will be made up of grants and loans for every EU member state. Economies across the 27-nation EU bloc have been ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, but several southern states had big debts even before the crisis. Commission President Ursula von der Leye... Read More

The monthly comparisons of Total Lots, Bales and Weight for April 2020 compared with the same period last season are: -11.6%, -8.4% and -8.0% respectively. The progressive comparison of Total Lots, Bales and Weight for July 2019 to April 2020 compared with the same period last season are: -8.3%, -6.2% and -5.7% respectively.  AWTA Ltd has tested 261.6 mkg (million kilograms) this season compared with  277.5 mk... Read More

Leading industry innovators Think Positive Prints, COMEFORBREAKFAST and Ratti have applied innovative digital printing to premium wool fabrics according to AWI Wool Growers E-news letter (May). Traditionally used for synthetic fibres, new technology has made way for digital printing on wool fabrics, revealing new design opportunities and markets for wool fabrications. Digital fabric printing is where colour dyes ... Read More

DOMOTEX
 Turkey, the 
carpet
 and
floor coverings
 fair
 planned
 to 
be
 held 
in
 Gaziantep 
on
 July
13-16, 2020
has been
 postponed
 to
 2021
 due
 to
 
 the
 coronavirus
 (Covid-19) outbreak.
 In
 a
 statement
 made
 by
 Deutsche
Messe
 subsidiary
 Hannover
 Fairs
 Turkey,
 this
 decision is
based on interviews from exhibitors
 and
prospective visitors. The social statement underlines 
that 
the priority
is... Read More

Despite the short term challenges facing the wool sector and the economy in general as result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the clear message this week from Joe Farren, CEO at British Wool is that its depots and head office function are operating and British Wool is collecting and receiving wool as usual. As we head towards the shearing season, British Wool’s network of depots and collection sites are ready to start ... Read More

Huntsman Textile Effects and Bao Minh Textile, one of the largest woven fabric producers in Vietnam, are collaborating to produce fabric that meets the stringent performance standards required of isolation gowns. High-quality medical gowns are essential protective wear for healthcare workers combatting the global COVID-19 pandemic, but these are in short supply worldwide. Bao Minh Textile will initially treat 76... Read More

UK clothes stores are ramping up plans to reopen – and big discounts could be on offer. Some non-essential retailers will be able to begin reopening in June. One of the UK’s biggest fashion retailers, M&S, said: “We are working towards reopening more space from June.” But analyst Richard Lin of Retail Economics said stores “will have to discount heavily” to sell excess stock that may now be out of season.”Many... Read More