R&D update
Retailer partners with AWI
A luxuriously soft new lightweight Australian Merino knit range has been launched across Australia through young womenswear retailer Kookai, the result of an alliance with Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI).
The POSH Merino soft knit range is accompanied by a blaze of in-store marketing material featuring images of a young woman wearing one of the new-knit dresses, alternately cuddling a Merino lamb, carrying the lamb in her handbag or holding it on a pink leash.
Kookai Managing Director, Robert Cromb, said he was very excited about the product and the campaign.
"The POSH Merino fabric is ideal for super soft, next-to-skin, garments and light enough to be a true trans-seasonal fabric - it is perfect for our young female demographic," Mr Cromb said.
"Our partnership with AWI has delivered significant performance improvements without significant cost. These types of ongoing refinements and product improvements are important for the future successful retailing of Merino wool products."
AWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Len Stephens, said AWI approached Kookai to improve the handle and touch of their knit range by using the best available technology and specifications through the raw wool to finished fabric.
"A finer micron, tighter fibre specifications, a different yarn twist and finish have helped deliver a fabric that is super soft to touch, lightweight, with improved drape, and machine washable," Dr Stephens said.
"This is another example of how AWI is building alliances with designers, manufacturers and retailers to ensure the best available technology and knowledge is used to deliver better-performing Australian Merino wool products for consumers.
"The best way to get more Australian Merino wool into global apparel markets is to work directly with the designers and retailers who make the decisions about what fibres are used; this is what AWI is doing.
"Increasing demand for Australian Merino wool depends on new innovative products and performance improvements in colour, softness, drape, handling and easy care, through both the development of new innovations and the application of the best existing technology."
Mr Cromb said the young fashion category was moving toward more natural fibres, which was good for wool, but warned that wool producers needed to remain innovative, refine the quality of yarns and continue to improve softness, ease of care, drape and handling.
If the POSH Merino knit is a success in Australia, AWI plans to hold discussions with Kookai's international head office in Paris to discuss taking the development to the brand's northern hemisphere franchises.