The Campaign for Wool was initiated in October 2008 by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, who had observed that the wool industry was facing enormous and unprecedented challenges.  The price of wool had plummeted to the point where farmers were being paid less for their sheep’s’ fleeces than the cost of having them shorn.  At the same time, sheep numbers were declining across the world, from Britain to Australia and New Zealand, and some farmers were losing confidence in the future of the wool industry.

A parallel threat came from new man-made synthetic fibres, often oil-based, which were providing stiff competition in the areas where wool had traditionally triumphed – fashion, carpets and insulation. Continue reading »

THE International Wool Organisation (IWTO) is the international body representing the interests of the world’s wool textile trade and industry.  As such, its membership covers the wool growers, traders, primary processors, spinners and weavers of wool and allied fibres in its member countries, as well as all kinds of organisations related to wool products and the wool business in general.  It provides for them a forum for discussion of problems of joint concern and acts as their spokesman with all those bodies and authorities towards whom a common approach is deemed necessary.

MISSION

IWTO’s mission is to help its Wool Industry Members to understand the textile demands of the consumers, and to enhance the response to them with products and promotional activities especially developed to meet their needs, with a fibre that is highly desirable for its social, technical, comfortable and sustainable values.  The expected outcome should be a better positioning of the wool fibre on top of consumers’ choices and preferences, and to bring a steady increase of wool sales and higher market share, and the maintenance of commercial advantages along the entire wool demand chain, from wool growers to retailers all around the world.

Its vision is to position and value wool clearly in the consumer mind as a material that is desirable for its technical, ethical and comfort values.  The global wool industry is:

• Producing around 2,1 million tons of wool per year.
• Taking care of more than 1 billion sheep around the world, with the highest focus on animal welfare.
• Almost 78% of the world wool production is taking place in IWTO member countries.
• Almost 816 000 tonnes of fabric (wool and other wool blends) is produced annually by the global wool industry, of which 92% is produced in IWTO member countries.
• Over 900 000 tonnes of raw wool (greasy, scoured, carbonised) is traded yearly, with IWTO members accounting for 87%.
• The value of raw wool exports (greasy, scoured, carbonised) from IWTO members is around US$2,5 billion yearly (source: Woolmark).
• The value of wool tops exported from IWTO countries is around US$ 1,2 billion annually (source: Woolmark).
• Some 92% of the world production of wool tops is manufactured in IWTO member countries.
• Over 2 million tons of yarn (wool and other fibres) is annually produced in the world, of which IWTO member countries account for 72%.
• About 90% of all worldwide fabrics containing wool is produced in IWTO member countries.
• The total retail value of sales of wool products is around US$80 billion yearly (source: Woolmark).
• IWTO represents an industry with more than 200 000 commercial farms and several million small-holdings worldwide, and more than 4 000 wool and textile manufacturing companies.
• The wool industry employs millions of people in production, harvesting and throughout its many processing stages.

The four pillars of IWTO are: trading instruments (such as test methods, market information and statistics and licensing test laboratories), facilitating industry strategy, market access and development and networking through its congresses and events.

The South African wool industry is represented at IWTO by the South African Wool Textile Council.  Representatives of Cape Wools and the NWGA regularly attend NWGA meetings.

It organises a multitude of events

IWTO organises a multitude of events (listed hereunder) each year to promote communication and consequent action within the wool industry.

IWTO congress

This is an annual event which provides a strong platform for business contacts and serves as a useful forum for discussion and exchange between members on issues of interest to the industry and makes it possible to adopt convergent positions to overcome specific problems.

IWTO Wool Forum

The IWTO Wool Forum is held each year around March/April and gives an update on the latest innovations of the wool and textile industry.

IWTO Country Summit

IWTO organizes is IWTO Country Summits on request. These summits are organised from time to time in new upcoming and/or especially interesting wool textile countries to create a platform for members to establish new business contacts and communication in the respective countries.

Wool show cases

IWTO organizes and executes stalls (wool show cases) at leading international exhibitions and trade shows. All members have the opportunity to participate in these stalls in order to communicate and promote the benefits of wool to all players in the supply chain as well as to the final consumer.

Blue book

Developed over the years by the IWTO, the Blue Book represents the basis for the conditions under which most of the world wool trade conducts its business. The rules contained in it are agreed upon by the various players in the wool-textile trade and industry. The Blue Book is regularly reviewed to reflect current commercial practices and requirements.

Arbitration

The International Wool Textile Arbitration Agreement, set out in the Blue Book, provides for the resolution of disputes arising between partners from different countries. Such a procedure ensures a fair and efficient settlement thanks to the involvement of committed and experienced arbitrators from the industry.

Test methods and regulations

IWTO develops and regularly updates a number of test methods and regulations to ensure standardisation and reliability of tests carried out on the fibre and to maximise and enhance its unique intrinsic characteristics.

Laboratory licensing

IWTO is providing an international licensing scheme for laboratories in compliance with the criteria required to issue IWTO test certificates for specific test methods and regulations. This initiative gives enhanced credibility to wool testing around the world.

Super “S” labelling

IWTO is providing, through an international licensing scheme, a world-wide registered label for identification of fine wool fabrics and clothing.

Market intelligence/statistics

IWTO annually publishes a Market Information booklet, setting out detailed figures covering the different stages of activity in the industry.

World Wool Award (WWA)

On an annual basis, IWTO is awarding students and entrepreneurs from textile, fashion and marketing areas, for outstanding projects in the fields of design, technology and marketing related to wool.

International Student exchange programme (ISEP)

This project is aimed at strengthening links between wool industry and education institutions by enabling young, talented people to undertake industrial and academic placements in companies or organisations active in the wool sector.

DIE vooruitsigte vir die wolmark vir 2011/12 lyk ondanks die ekonomiese onsekerheid in die Euro-sone belowend, aldus die jongste kommoditeitsverslag van die Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (Abares).

Die buro verwag dat daar op kort termyn ’n afplatting sal wees in die vraag na wolprodukte in die Organisasie vir Ekonomiese Samewerking en Ontwikkeling, wat bestaan uit die ryk nywerheidslande van die wêreld (OESO). Dit geld veral vir Amerika, Japan en Brittanje, waar voorraad moontlik in die woltekstielketting kan opbou.

Voorraadvlakke

Voorraadvlakke reg oor die wêreld is egter nog laag, terwyl wolproduksie in die belangrikste uitvoerlande na verwagting sal daal. Dit kan as teenwig vir die afname in die vraag dien.

Vraag uit China

Die enigste uitsondering is Australië, waar skaapgetalle aan die toeneem is en produksie na raming met 1% tot 355 miljoen kg sal styg.  Abares grond sy positiewe vooruitskouing op die feit dat die vraag uit China na verwagting sterk sal bly, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die verwagte groei in die binnelandse verbruik van wol.

Luidens die verslag word sowat 50% van die wol wat Australië na China uitvoer deur die binnelandse mark geabsorbeer.

Hoewel China se ekonomiese groei na verwagting ietwat kan afplat vergeleke met die vorige jaar, is die verwagting dié land se ekonomie nietemin stewige groei sal toon.

 Tekstielbedryf

’n Bemoedigende teken is dat die regering steeds in die land se tekstielbedryf belê en groei in dié sektor stimuleer.            China het in verlede jaar reeds begin om groot beleggings in die opgradering en uitbreiding van die tekstielbedryf te maak, wat in dié jaar voortgesit is.

Die Chinese verwerk tans 50% van alle vesels wat in die wêreld geproduseer word. Dié land het verlede jaar 450 miljoen kg wol verwerk. Dit is 42% van die wêreld se wolproduksie.  Plaaslike uitvoerders wat pas ’n wolkongres in Nanjing, China, bygewoon het, sê die meeste wolverwerkers was positief oor die vooruitsigte vir dié seisoen.

Die verwagting was dat pryse wel van tyd tot tyd sal terugsak, maar dat die huidige vlakke volhoubaar is en waarskynlik verder sal styg.  Dit sal egter net kan gebeur as die Europeërs ’n oplossing vir die skuldkrisis vind en die wêreld nie weer in ’n resessie verval nie.

Wisselkoerse

Die beskikbaarheid van wol en wisselkoersbewegings sal dié seisoen weer ’n belangrike rol in beweging van die wolmark speel, soos tydens die laaste paar veilings gebeur het.  Die plaaslike mark het danksy die aanmerklike daling van die rand teenoor die Amerikaanse dollar die afgelope paar weke gestyg.                               

Die Merino-aanwyser het op die veiling van 21 September die vorige seisoen se hoogste vlak verbygesteek en nader aan die sleutelvlak van R100/kg beweeg.  Die veilings is sover gekenmerk deur goeie vraag, wat ongetwyfeld aangehelp word deur die feit dat kopers nou weer na China kan uitvoer. Die eerste besendings is reeds verskeep.

In Australië het die mark die laaste paar veilings teruggesak omdat die Australiese dollar nie so skerp gedaal het nie en waarskynlik ook weens die groot aanbiedings.

Een van die treffende foto's wat in die tweede fase van die Australiese bemarkingsmaatskappy, The Woolmark Company, se veldtog gebruik gaan word om Merinowol te bevorder. In dié veldtog word beoog om ’n boodskap aan die verbruiker uit te dra dat wol lig en sag teen die vel is en die persepsie dat dit krap, te verander. Die naam van die veldtog is: "Merino. No Finer Feeling."

Smiley de Beer

Ek moes onlangs ‘n vraag beantwoord wat min of meer soos volg bewoord was: “Tot welke mate word die veselbedrywe deur aardverwarming en klimaats-verandering bevoordeel of benadeel?” My antwoord was dat klimaatsverandering ‘n uitdaging is en dat produsente, as al die voorspellings reg is, die geleentheid het om nou reeds stelsel aanpassings vir verwagte droër of natter toestande te maak en dat navorsing ondersteun moet word om vir ‘n nuwe reeks siektes, wat met aard-verwarming kan uitbreek, voor-siening te maak. Die vraag het meer om die lyf en in dié artikel probeer hy om daarop uit te brei. Daar is geweldig menings-verskille oor of die aarde werklik warmer word en net soveel teorië oor die effek daarvan terwyl daar redelike eenstemmigheid is dat die klimaat verander dit was immers nog altyd die geval, dit is miskien die tempo wat nou pla. As lesers toegang tot die internet het kan hulle gerus na “climate change facts” vir ander wetenskaplike sienings oor die onderwerp kyk. Die basis lyn is dat weersomstandighede en klimaat nie presies voorspelbaar is nie. Die beste wat ons as mense kan doen is om alles in ons vermoë te doen om nie die hulpbron agteruit te laat gaan nie. Continue reading »

VERKLARING MET BETREKKING TOT PRODUKSIEPRAKTYKE Nota: Teken die verklaring en stuur na u betrokke makelaar. Ek, ……………………………………………………………………………………, as bona fide wolboer, onderskryf die beginsels wat in die Bedryfskode vir Beste Praktyke vir Wolskaapboerdery vervat word, en onderneem om alle toepaslike prosesse te implementeer sodat die produk wat ek lewer aan alle nodige vereistes sal voldoen. Ek verbind myself tot eerlikheid en integriteit ten opsigte van alle aksies in hierdie verband. Ten einde op ‘n volhoubare basis wol van gehalte te produseer soos wat deur die mark vereis word, en om volhoubare natuurlike hulpbronbewaring, dierewelstand en sosiale verantwoordelikheid na te streef, onderskryf ek die volgende beginsels: • Die seleksie en teling van diere wat goed aangepas is by die omgewing, en wat ‘n sterk natuurlike weerstand het teen siektes en parasiete, en wat die vermoë het om te gedy onder gemiddelde toestande ten opsigte van voerhoeveelheid en -kwaliteit. • Onder geen omstandighede die Mules-operasie te gebruik nie. Continue reading »

VENDOR DECLARATION OF PRODUCTION PRACTICES Note: Sign this declaration and send it to your broker. I, ……………………………………………………………………… as a bona fide woolgrower commit myself to the principles embodied in the Best Practice Reference Manual for Wool Sheep Farming in South Africa, and undertake to implement all procedures to ensure that the product I deliver meet the required standards. I commit myself to honesty and integrity in all actions related to this undertaking. In order to consistently produce the quality of wool demanded by the market and to ensure sustainable resource use, animal welfare and social responsibility, I commit myself to the following: • Selection and breeding of animals that are well adapted to the environment, displaying high resistance levels to disease and parasites and which have the ability to thrive under average conditions of feed availability and quality. • Total non-use of the Mules operation. Continue reading »