Woolmark supporting Aussie wool in India
The Woolmark Company is flying the flag for Australian woolgrowers in India, one of the most important importers of Australian wool and now the most populous country in the world. Read on for a snapshot of some recent activities undertaken there.
As the second largest importer of Australian greasy wool by volume, India is an important market for our fibre. Its economy is the fifth largest in the world and is growing at seven percent per annum.
The Woolmark Company first opened its Indian office in 1966 and has operated continuously in the country for nearly 60 years, playing a part in India’s journey from a manufacturing hub to a consumer market as well. The India office now also operates in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Today, The Woolmark Company works with more than 100 supply chain partners in all stages of the wool supply chain, from early-stage processors, spinners, weavers and knitters through to garment makers, brands and retailers. The company also works with exporters, education institutions, designers and trade bodies.
As the world’s third largest exporter of textiles and apparel, India is well-known for its premium textile manufacturing. The country also has a strong base of handloom and craft artisans, and natural dyeing techniques. Its textile industry has an annual growth rate of about five percent and is the country’s second largest employer with 54 million people directly employed in the industry. Overall, there are 3,400 textile mills.
India has the second highest number of Woolmark supply chain licensees in the world which is a testament to the ongoing quality and capacity of wool products manufactured there.
About 40-50% of wool processed in India is consumed domestically. The domestic Indian apparel market is worth about A$150 billion and is growing at a rate of nine percent per annum. India is increasingly becoming a market of interest for premium brands. Indian consumers like high-quality products with great brand value, which provides a positive future for Merino wool and Woolmark-certified products.
The Woolmark Company’s work in India includes consumer marketing, trade engagement, product innovation, and education – all with the aim of ensuring Australian wool’s ongoing place in the country’s thriving textile industry and growing premium consumer market. This double page spread includes some examples of this work. Similar activities are undertaken by the other The Woolmark Company offices across the world.
Joint consumer marketing campaigns
Activewear brand Athlos
Athlos is an activewear brand with a focus on innovative fabrics and fabric technology. It is a very popular brand among the fitness communities in India. The purpose of The Woolmark Company's marketing campaign with Athlos was to demonstrate the performance benefits of Merino wool for activewear and its suitability for India’s hot climate.
A lightweight, circular knit collection was created with The Woolmark Company's support and launched by the brand in a campaign named ‘Merino for Tropics’. Such was the success of the campaign that Athlos decided to continue to use Merino wool in its core collection and expand its range of Merino wool products.
Leading luxury e-retailer Ajio Luxe
The Woolmark Company in November 2023 launched its first marketing campaign with Ajio Luxe, India’s largest luxury e-retailer which has one million daily active users and huge customer growth. The aim of the 2½ month campaign was to build awareness for Merino wool among young luxury shoppers and increase demand for Merino wool products being sold by 50 participating brands.
As a result of the campaign, Ajio Luxe achieved a 61% increase in sales of wool products by value, well above the target of 22%. The total impressions for the campaign (the number of times that the campaign was seen) was more than 50 million.
Luxury menswear brand Andamen
Homegrown premium brand Andamen was inspired by seminars and presentations with The Woolmark Company team to introduce an extrafine Merino wool collection into its product range for the first time, as their topmost line called Apex. The collection was developed through a Woolmark-certified supply chain using Australian Merino wool.
The collection comprises 30 styles of jumpers, polo shirts and other tops for men and was marketed through a digital and social media campaign. The highlight of the campaign was the video of the founder talking about the collection. The brand is now working on further Merino wool collections.
Trade marketing and education
Guide to sourcing wool products in India
The Woolmark Company has created a sourcing guide that highlights key information and contact details of the best wool spinners, weavers, knitters and specialist suppliers on the Indian subcontinent. This unique resource (pictured above) helps brands and designers from across the world to connect with the Indian region’s leading suppliers of premium yarns and fabrics made from Australian Merino wool, thereby increasing demand for the fibre.
Trade shows
The Woolmark Company participates in the major trade shows of the region to promote Australian wool and make supply chain connections. They provide an important source of leads for business development as well as the opportunity to support our trade partners. Recent shows have included Fiber and Yarns in Mumbai and Lakme Fashion Week. In February, The Woolmark Company collaborated with Austrade at Bharat Tex in New Delhi with the message ‘Grown in Australia. Made in India’ celebrating the connection between the Australian wool industry and the Indian supply chain.
Retail training and trade workshops
The Woolmark Company regularly conducts retail training and trade workshops with big brand and suppliers of this region. Many participants from these programs have also completed online courses in the Woolmark Learning Centre.
The Wool Lab sourcing guide
Yarn and fabric manufacturers in the country have had swatches of their products included in The Wool Lab sourcing guide, generating domestic and international business for them. Equally, The Wool Lab has been an important tool for The Woolmark Company to build its relationship with the supply chain and brand partners because of the company's continuous involvement with them for sourcing and presentations.
Product innovation
Product development
The Woolmark Company in the India region carries out product development on a wide range of products with its supply chain partners including spinners, weavers, knitters and natural dyers. For these partners, wool is very important and they help in supporting projects through in-kind support such as providing tops or yarn or enabling the company to use their facilities to carry out R&D activity. Products in which R&D activity is happening includes activewear, footwear and wool/cotton blended yarns with a high wool content.
Capacity building in Tirupur
In 2017, The Woolmark Company began educating manufacturers in the city of Tirupur, the knitwear capital of India, about wool and how to manufacture products with the fibre. Tirupur is the hub of circular knitting with more than 6,000 circular knitters that mainly work with cotton. Overseas and domestic brands source their fine knit products from this region. There was not a single wool knitter in this region prior to 2016. However, 500+ knitters have now been educated about wool technology with many knitters having successfully taken part in wool knitting and finishing trials. Circular knitted wool products are now being commercially produced in Tirupur catering to dozens of domestic and international brands.
Natural dyeing of wool
Natural dyeing is an eco-colouration technology which is very much on trend. It complements the wool fibre’s own eco-credentials. The Woolmark Company has been working with partners to develop an advanced process for colour fastness at many stages of production, such as tops, yarns, fabric, garments and shoe uppers. Indian designers and brands have now used natural dyes in their wool products.
Student education
Educating tertiary students
The Woolmark Company has strong relationships with the premium design and technical institutes of India, with the company regularly running educational programs about Australian wool to their fashion and textile students. Without The Woolmark Company’s activities, students in India would receive very little education about wool because their curriculum is primarily focused on cotton and synthetic fibres. The Woolmark Company has also been successful at promoting the online courses in the Woolmark Learning Centre.
Naturally Inspiring seminars
The Woolmark Company holds Naturally Inspiring seminars to give students the chance to learn about the natural benefits and versatility of Merino wool and the variety of ways to work with the fibre. The most recent seminar was held in April in Delhi for 140 tertiary textile and fashion students and teachers (pictured left). The seminars also provide the students with an insight into working in the fashion, textile and retail industries from industry speakers.
Wool Science program
For the past four years, The Woolmark Company has run wool science and technology courses for textile engineering students at five technical institutes in India. The courses are now taught by the institute’s own faculties, with The Woolmark Company providing them with learning, teaching, and examination materials.
Woolmark Performance Challenge
There are many colleges in India enrolled in the Woolmark Performance Challenge, a competition for tertiary students across the world to develop innovative new product applications for Merino wool within the sports and outdoor market. Indian students have been successful in the competition with a finalist in 2022 (Ayush Verma) and a winner in 2023 (Harleen Kaun).
This article appeared in the September 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
