From 3-6 December, the city of Montréal, Canada will host the 2023 edition of International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO)’s annual Wool Round Table. This is the first IWTO event to be held in Canada, in partnership with our member the Canadian Wool Council and the Campaign for Wool Canada.
Canada has a small wool industry, currently building up its medium-scale production, and we are delighted that one of its most beautiful cities will be the setting for our latest gathering. It seems appropriate that we introduce our members and attendees to some of the key facts about the wool industry in Canada, which has a long and proud tradition that dates back to the mid-17th Century. Here’s a short introduction Canadian wool.
An Introduction to Canada’s Wool industry
Sheep farming started in what we now know as Canada in the 1650s, when French settlers first brought the animals into the country. There are several breeds that are prized for their wool across the country. These include Rambouillet, Corriedale, Columbia and Targhee.
About two thirds of Canada’s wool clip is amassed by Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers (CCWG) through a network of depots – about 39 throughout the country – and shipped to Carleton Place, Ontario, where it is graded and marketed.
Meet the Canadian Wool Council
One of the newest IWTO members is the Canadian Wool Council (CWC), a non-profit organisation focused on developing practical opportunities for the Canadian wool industry and those who work within it. The CWC aligns stakeholders to revive the Canadian wool value chain is the official delivery partner for The Campaign For Wool in Canada. One of its most important achievements is the creation of the Canadian Wool Plan, which has three major goals: to rebrand and revalue Canadian wool, to advocate for the entire Canadian wool value chain, and to give Canadian wool a voice on the international stage.
Meet the Campaign for Wool Canada
The Campaign for Wool was launched in Canada by its Patron: The former Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in Pictou, Nova Scotia during their 2014 May Royal Tour. Canada’s first Wool Week followed that Fall with activities and activations provided by The Campaign’s founding retail partners, including Holt Renfrew, Joe Fresh and Pink Tartan.
The Campaign brings together major fashion designers, woolgrowers, retailers, manufacturers, artisans and interior designers to celebrate wool’s endless myriad of uses – from luxurious fashion to home insulation.
Campaign for Wool Canada serves as a platform for engagement and education, showing Canadians the benefits of wool as a fibre as well as the importance of supporting the domestic wool industry.
Read Next: Wool month 2023
The IWTO Wool Round Table 2023
You can learn more about Canada’s wool industry, and other developments in the wool and sheep sector throughout the world, at this year’s IWTO Wool Round Table, to be held in Montréal from 3-6 December. To register for this exciting and informative event, visit https://iwto.org/wool-round-table-2023/
Learn All You Need to Know About the International Wool Industry
For more information on the wool industry around the world, take a look at our fact sheets, statistics and guidelines, or visit our website.
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