To all our readers and advertisers we wish you a Happy New Year for 2025. Wishing you a prosperous year ahead! May this year bring success, growth, and opportunities to achieve all your goals. Read More

The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee’s (AWPFC) third forecast of shorn wool production for the 2024/25 season is 279.4 million kilograms (Mkg) greasy. This is 12.0% lower than the 2023/24 estimate and a 6 Mkg greasy downward revision of the August 2024 forecast. The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee’s (AWPFC) third forecast of shorn wool production for the 2024/25 season is 279.4 mi... Read More

After 34 years as an early-stage wool processor in Australia, Victoria Wool Processors has announced that it will close its plant in Melbourne, but continue to trade Australian Wool. The company was originally established to trade wool in 1993 but built volumes to justify opening its own start early-stage wool processing in 1990, with further expansion in 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2005. Unlike most other plants (often fo... Read More

Is Donald Trump serious about tariffs? This has been the question hanging over not just world markets but the whole world of economics. According to the US National Retail Federation, such tariffs would significantly impact the costs of a wide range of consumer products sold in the United States. Specifically to apparel, consumers could see prices surge by 12.5% while in footwear they would rise by 18.1%. This wo... Read More

Weaving a perfect fit between past and present, Lille, France, will be the venue for the 94th IWTO Congress, 20-23 May, 2025. This historic city, steeped in a rich textile history, will provide a fitting backdrop for wool industry leaders and enthusiasts to gather. Working group and committee meetings take place 19 May. On Friday May 23rd there will be an optional industry visit to Paris. The venue is the Pala... Read More

AWTA has reduced the fee for testing mid-side samples from individual sheep from $10:51 to $7 (incl GST). The reduction in the fee for the Mid-Side (Fleece Measurement) Staple Length & Strength tests follows a reduction in the number of individual staples measured for each test. A review found that there was no significant reduction in the precision of the test when the number of staples measured was reduced from te... Read More

The latest edition of AWI Outlook examines global wool production, alternative fibres, and Australian wool production by volume and micron category. Global wool production  Figure 1: Global wool production in billion kg greasy There is predicted to be a decline in wool production not just in in Australia but also in many of the other significant wool producing countries including South Africa, Argentina... Read More

At the annual Round Table of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), held in November in Istanbul in partnership with the Turkish Textile Employers’ Association (TTEA), wool industry leaders and experts convened to explore wool’s potential to drive sustainable and innovative solutions for the textile industry. More than 80 attendees represented the wool industries of 26 countries. While only 1% of the... Read More

ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 has received overwhelming support, surpassing the show owners’ expectations with a 30 per cent increase in the number of applicants to date. ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 is owned by CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT TEX). Scheduled to be held... Read More

Wool Source has recently signed its first international customer with order for the wool-based protein keratin to be used in personal care products. Chief executive Tom Hooper told RNZ it has been good to get the deal over the line and it looks as though it will be repeat business. “We’ve been working with them for three years. It’s been a process of improving our credibility, proving the product, having them sto... Read More

China expects its annual growth to hit its target of around 5%, says a senior Chinese official.The world’s second-largest economy is set to achieve major goals and contribute to nearly 30% of global growth, according to Han Wenxiu, deputy director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission’s general office. He told an economic forum in Beijing, hinting China’s economic growth will be about 5% this year... Read More

Every year, IWTO welcomes young wool professionals to its Congress in the Young Professionals Programme. Since 2012, more than 160 Young Professionals have joined the Congress through this programme. How it works The YP programme is part of the IWTO Congress. IWTO matches each Young Professional with a senior member of the wool textile trade for the duration of the event. Bespoke networking and social op... Read More

The National Wool Declaration (NWD) completed its triennial review with industry in 2023, with Version 10.0 implemented in July 2024. A significant and recent change has been trialled and is now implemented for desk top audits and the verification of Anaesthetic/Analgesic (AA) declarations. Victoria has introduced Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (POCTA) legislation that states any mulesing conducted in Victoria s... Read More

After months of speculation, Chanel has named its new artistic director. Matthieu Blazy, most recently the creative director of luxury Italian label Bottega Veneta was appointed to one of the most high-profile jobs in fashion. In a press release, Chanel’s president of fashion Bruno Pavlovsky said he was “delighted” with Blazy’s appointment. “I am convinced that he will be able to play with the codes and heritage ... Read More

The monthly comparisons of Total Lots, Bales and Weight tested for December compared with the same period last season are:  -15.4%, -14.9% and -15.2% respectively. The progressive comparison of Total Lots, Bales and Weight tested for July 2024 to December 2024 compared with the same period last season are:  -11.6%, -10.1% and -9.8% respectively. AWTA Ltd has tested 150.0 mkg (million kilograms) this season com... Read More