Snapshot of recent activities in China
China is the largest and most important market for the Australian wool industry. The Woolmark Company team there undertakes a wide range of activities including technical R&D, Woolmark licensing, public relations and marketing. Here is a small selection of some of the company’s recent activities there.
Information sessions with brand and supply chain partners
The Woolmark Company’s brand and supply chain partners attending a three-day information sharing event in Shanghai.
In March this year, The Woolmark Company held its second, annual information sharing event for brand and supply chain partners. Held at the Wool Education Centre at Donghua University, Shanghai, the three-day event was attended by 128 participants, which is a 20 per cent growth from the previous event.
Aligning with the theme of The Woolmark Company’s Autumn/Winter marketing campaign in China, ‘When Merino Met Mother Nature’ (reported in the March edition of Beyond the Bale), the event featured daily forums led by The Woolmark Company staff. Topics included wool market trends, consumer insights, and innovative wool products showcased at the Spinexpo and Intertextile trade shows. In addition, industry experts presented on subjects including wool product design, seamless knitwear, and application of plant dyes.
Available for participants to view and touch were swatches and samples such as the Optim water and wind resistant fabric, lightweight woven fabrics, wool denim, digital printing, and seamless designs.
As a result of the event, attendees not only became more informed about the benefits and possibilities of wool, but they also expressed keen interest in sourcing wool innovations and there were several requests to become Woolmark licensees.
Wool’s biodegradability in soil applauded
Part of The Woolmark Company’s exhibit showing the biodegradation of a Merino garment after three months buried in soil.
As reported in the June 2023 edition of Beyond the Bale, The Woolmark Company in China launched a marketing campaign on Earth Day in April 2023 that highlighted wool’s biodegradability. As part of the campaign, The Woolmark Company created a two-minute video at the end of which three Merino wool garments were buried in soil to raise awareness of how wool returns to nature.
The wool garments have now been retrieved – having been buried for two months, three months, and six months respectively – and were exhibited by The Woolmark Company at the MODE trade show at Shanghai Fashion Week in March. The exhibit showcased wool’s natural biodegradation in soil and highlighted that the fibre contributes to a sustainable circular model of textile production that minimises waste and pollution.
This was the first time The Woolmark Company had demonstrated the biodegradable properties of wool in a visual form in China. The exhibit was later displayed at the curated concept store R130 in Shanghai.
“This new exhibit aligns with The Woolmark Company’s strategy to highlight to consumers the natural eco-credentials of wool and the importance of fibre consideration in consumers’ purchasing decisions,” said AWI Country Manager for China, Jeff Ma.
The Woolmark Company’s 2023 Earth Day campaign won the Gold Award for ‘Environmental Protection and Green Communication’ at the 19th China Golden Awards for Excellence in Public Relations, underscoring The Woolmark Company’s impactful creativity and execution of its marketing of wool’s eco-credentials.
In addition, The Woolmark Company won the ‘Sustainable Development Communication Value Award’ at the 2023 Cailian Press ESG Awards for its commitment to sustainability, illustrated by its Earth Day campaign, its Autumn/Winter ‘When Merino Met Mother Nature’ campaign, and its co-branded traceable Merino wool collections.
“The awarding of these two prominent accolades received significant visibility in China and reinforced not only The Woolmark Company's positive reputation but also the role that wool can make in the global drive towards a more environmentally conscious future,” Jeff added.
New Australian Consul-General visits Woolmark China office
Woolmark Technical Services Manager, Cary Cai; Australian Consul-General in Shanghai, John Williams; AWI Country Manager for China, Jeff Ma; Austrade Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Ms Liu Bing; AWI Senior Manager, Marketing Comms & Sustainability, Holly Ho.
In March, the new Australian Consul-General in Shanghai, Mr John Williams, and Austrade Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Ms Liu Bing, visited The Woolmark Company’s office in Shanghai.
The Woolmark Company team provided them with overviews of local industry, consumer and sustainability insights; recent marketing campaigns by The Woolmark Company; traceable collections with local brands EDITION and NEIWAI; and the latest innovations with local supply chain partners including products that have been prototyped and commercialised.
More information: Listen to AWI Country Manager, Jeff Ma, in Episode 255 of AWI’s The Yarn podcast at www.wool.com/podcast
This article appeared in the June 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
