R&D update
Chinese to test machine washable business suits
Chinese businessmen will soon get to wear their first machine washable wool-blend suits, thanks to a partnership including Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI).
Four thousand of the suits will go on sale in coming months as part of a consumer feedback trial being conducted by Chinese apparel manufacturer and retailer, the Heilan Group.
The suits have been produced as the result of a commercial partnership between the Heilan Group and AWI.
AWI Trade Development General Manager Pascal Senkoff said Heilan and AWI had spent the past two months fine-tuning the finishing technology to ensure the 50 per cent wool, 50 per cent polyester blend suits held their shape after machine washing.
Mr Senkoff said Heilan was now satisfied the suits would perform well and were so excited about the product’s potential that it had doubled the trial number to 4,000 garments.
"This is a new product for China and menswear suiting is predicted to grow at 25 per cent over the coming years," he said.
"About 94 per cent of Chinese households in major cities have a washing machine, so we believe there is great market potential for this machine-washed product.
"And it will be affordable at about $130 AUD a suit, which makes it the first business suit for the working class."
Once the consumer feedback trial had been completed and any further refinements made, Mr Senkoff said Heilan hoped to be producing 100,000 suits after two years, which would be sold through its 350 retail stores in China.
"This project is all about creating more demand and expanding market share for Australian wool on the Chinese domestic market," he said.
"If it proves to be successful we plan to take the technology and adapt it to men’s and women’s corporate uniforms, which is another huge market in China."