Quality knits using Aussie wool
Leading Australian knitwear company Fields is a strong supporter of Australian wool and has launched a #thankawoolgrower initiative to highlight the dedication of the country’s woolgrowers. Fields is also an enthusiastic advocate of the Woolmark brand which the company uses to help promote the quality of its products.
Founded in Melbourne in 1952, Fields produces high quality knitwear that is available in major department stores and at about a thousand smaller retailers across rural and metropolitan Australia and New Zealand. The company manufactures knitwear for its own ladies’, men’s and corporate wear brands as well as supplying production for many well-known private labels.
Fields General Manager Darren Elliott says the company is dedicated to supporting beautiful yarns made using Australian wool.
“Our Australian wool and wool blend yarns are fully machine washable and lightweight, which is ideal for the warm Australian climate. They have a soft handle and drape beautifully. Consumers nowadays require contemporary, casual styling, and wool plays an important part in this trend,” he said.
Fields has a strong relationship with The Woolmark Company, having been a Woolmark licensee for more than 30 years.
“All our knitwear made from Merino wool and wool rich blends proudly display the Woolmark swing tickets – they are an excellent visual tool to help consumers identify a product that has been independently verified for quality,” said Mr Elliott.
Australian company Fields is proud to produce quality knitwear using Australian wool.
Supporting Australian woolgrowers
Fields is a proud supporter of Australian woolgrowers, who the company says produce the best quality wool in the world.
“As a company that values the importance of quality, we recognise that the excellence of our products is intricately linked to the quality of the wool we use, and that is why we use Australian wool,” Mr Elliott said.
“We value the passion and hard work that Australian woolgrowers put into producing their wool and we are keen for them to be recognised for their dedication in producing their quality and ethically produced fibre.”
Last year, Fields launched a #ThankAWoolGrower initiative which showcases the story of some of the woolgrowers that supply the fibre used in the company’s knitwear.
“The hashtag #thankawoolgrower is used to raise awareness amongst our retail partners and consumers of the important role that Australian woolgrowers play in supplying high-quality, sustainable Merino wool for clothing,” Mr Elliott said.
“It connects consumers with the people behind their clothing, fostering a sense of community and support for family farming businesses and the local economies.”
The #thankawoolgrower logo used on the swing tags of Fields knitwear which highlights the heritage of the wool that the company sources.
The Snuggery
Woolgrowers Chris, Liz and James England of ‘The Snuggery’ at Kingston SE in South Australia wearing 100% Merino wool knitwear manufactured by Fields, containing some of their own wool.
Working closely with Elders, Fox & Lillie and Techwool, Fields has visited several properties to produce imagery for its marketing. One of the properties featured in the campaign is ‘The Snuggery’, a poll Merino stud and commercial operation 35km north of Kingston SE in South Australia, owned and run by the England family, which shears 12,000 sheep.
“We have spent generations fine tuning the Merino sheep to improve wool quality. When Fields Knitwear bought our wool, it was very reassuring knowing that it would be used to make quality products for Australian consumers,” said James England, Co-Owner/Manager of The Snuggery.
“Traceability is important in many aspects of the wool industry. To expand traceability to the consumer helps build brand and product loyalty. The fields #thankawoolgrower initiative helps the consumer relate to the woolgrower on an individual level.
“The vast majority of woolgrowers are exceptional in terms of animal husbandry. There are lots of examples of environmental innovation and focus. It’s also very common for the woolgrowers to be locally-owned small family businesses. This information helps assure the consumer that they can buy wool with confidence.”
More information: www.fields.com.au
This article appeared in the March 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
