Wool Impact NZ has engaged Gensler, a leading firm in the architecture and design industries, to conduct a thorough global market study focusing on how wool is positioned in the industry. Its aim is to promote demand and value for New Zealand strong wool products, as part of its efforts to fulfil its mandate to rebuild New Zealand’s strong wool industry. International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) is pleased to report on this exciting development for the wool industry in New Zealand and beyond.
Unlocking Value from Strong Wool
Wool Impact Chief Executive Andy Caughey says that the strong wool sector has traditionally struggled to respond to dramatic shifts in the way interior products are selected. This is because people are generally not given a complete understanding of the needs of brands that could potentially use wool. This gap in market communications means that the relationship between wool suppliers and their potential customers is not optimized.
“NZ’s strong wool leaves a farmer’s line of sight the moment the wool bales are trucked off the farm,” says Caughey, “losing the unique attributes of each farm to a commodity system. This prevents brands from selecting and rewarding farmers who are using best practices that are good for the world, and good for their customers. This needs to change.”
Unlocking value from closer brand-grower relationships will come through a deeper understanding of wool’s impact through the value chain. Stakeholders can come together with others who share their ethos of value creation and transparency. The major problem as it currently stands, and the reason why these connections are not being made, is that stakeholders on either end of the value chain don’t know much about each other.
Read Next: AWI Unveils Woolmark+ Roadmap
Sustainable Solutions for the A&D Industries
The collaboration between Wool Impact NZ and Gensler is a “step change in the right direction to unlock value from closer brand-grower relationships,” Caughey says.
Gensler’s work on the project follows the launch of its GPS standards, a set of baseline and market differentiator standards for materials used in the firm’s projects. GPS provides clear and concise material guidelines for Gensler’s designers.
“Providing our clients with the best-in-class and services for which we are known includes bringing sustainable solutions to the table from developing the GPS standards to further the A&D industry to supporting the growth of wool as an environmentally conscious fibre through our work with Wool Impact,” Gensler product development leader Benjamin Holsinger explains.
As part of this initiative, Gensler will work closely with Wool Impact to translate the story of New Zealand’s responsible wool industry into meaningful business metrics. The hope is that, once these figures are available, and stakeholders throughout the value chain better understand the benefits of New Zealand wool, there will be an increase in demand from architects and designers.
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.