Just days after launching its new online Looking for Wool sourcing guide, an online directory which will enable businesses to source wool and wool-rich products for both the apparel and interiors sector, The Woolmark Company has released five new introductory training manuals to assist in educating the retail and trade sectors about the benefits of Australian Merino wool.

The Woolmark was established in 1964 and is owned by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), a non-for-profit company owned by over 27,000 woolgrowers.

Manuals

Currently available in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian and Turkish, the free-of-charge level one manuals are:

• Introduction to Knitwear
• Introduction to Wovenwear
• Introduction to Men’s Suits
• Caring for your Merino Wool Sweater
• The Meaning Behind the Woolmark Logo

The Introduction to Knitwear and Wovenwear manuals briefly cover the technical aspects which must be considered when producing quality Merino wool knitwear and wovenwear. Both manuals cover the basic fundamentals of wool and follow the processing route from fibre through to yarn, fabric and garment production.

Caring for your Merino Wool Sweater and the Men’s Suits training manuals are primarily targeted towards buyers and retail floor staff, providing apparel care education and explaining why Merino wool produces the finest tailored suits.

The final training manual, The Meaning Behind the Woolmark Logo, explains what constitutes Woolmark, Woolmark Blend and Wool Blend, along with the various sub-brands introduced across the years.

“These training manuals have been produced to provide those new to wool with the basic fundamentals of apparel products made from Australian wool,” explains The Woolmark Company’s Group Manager Trade Education, Julie Davies.

Benefits for retail shop floor staff

“Retail shop floor staff will also greatly benefit, increasing their knowledge of the wool fibre and in turn pass this on to the consumer looking to make a purchase of a wool product. The Woolmark Company is planning to translate these introductory manuals into even more languages and will also produce higher level manuals for those involved in the manufacturing industry.”

To download the free-of-charge level one training manuals (pdf) visit www.woolmark.com/training-manuals  or to obtain a hard copy please contact The Woolmark Company.

The Woolmark was established in 1964 and is owned by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), a non-for-profit company owned by over 27,000 woolgrowers. AWI’s vision is to be a significant contributor to a vibrant, stable and profitable wool industry providing the world with the best natural fibre. The company works throughout the global supply chain – from woolgrowers through to retailers. The company mission is to enhance the profitability, international competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian wool industry; and increase demand and market access for Australian wool.

“Merino wool provides stability, resilience, softness and luxury to the tailoring industry. The fibre has long been a favourite of designers, but younger consumers, born in an era of ‘disposable’ fashion know too little about the natural benefits. Wool is a 100 per cent natural and renewable fibre. Sheep live on grass, water, fresh air and sunshine. Wool is a fibre that is grown – not man-made. Every year sheep produce a new fleece; making wool a renewable fibre source,” the Woolmark Company says.

www.woolmark.com    www.merino.com

Further reading

Woolmark to launch online sourcing guide

Author: Billy Hunter

May 5th, 2013
by: Hazel Chua

Too lazy to wash your shirt after every wear? Then Wool Prince’s button downs should be perfect for you!

Its makers boast that the shirt can be worn for a hundred days straight without washing it in between. The secret of the shirt lies in the material. It’s made from a unique cotton-soft wool fabric that took Wool Prince six months to develop, and it looks like their efforts have paid off.

In fact, for care instructions, Wool Prince says to “let the wool do the work” and only dry clean or gently wash the shirt “when absolutely necessary.”

The 100-day figure was the result of an experiment that the company had 15 wear testers do. Each of them wore the shirt for a hundred days while going about their usual business, from dancing at clubs to backpacking in the Andes. Wool Prince described them as being “impressed” with the no-odor properties.

Apparently, they’re not the only ones impressed with the shirt. Wool Prince’s campaign on Kickstarter has raised over $312,000 so far and they’re already sold out of their first batch of no-smell wool shirts.

But no worries – if you’re interested, you can still get on the waitlist. Or you could just use the washing machine.

[via OhGizmo!]

PUBLISHED:

10:26 EST, 18 May 2013

|

UPDATED:

10:26 EST, 18 May 2013

She is usually seen sporting glossy locks but the wind got the better of Kate Hudson on Friday.

The actress was in the middle of a photo shoot when a gust of wind blew her blonde tresses into the air.

Kate let out a little gasp but fortunately saw the funny side and began to giggle.

Hair-raising: Kate Hudson’s locks were blown into the air by a strong gust of wind on a Beverly Hills photo shoot on Friday

It was an uncharacteristically windy day in Beverly Hills but the 34-year-old remained professional.

She acted fast and used a rolled up newspaper as a shield to prevent further damaged to her perfectly coiffed hair.

Kate looked stunning in a deep plum wool coat which nipped in at her slender waist and she teamed it with matching lipstick.

Plum perfection: The actress looked stunning in a deep purple wool coat which nipped in at her waist and matching lipstick

Acting fast: Kate quickly grabbed a rolled up newspaper and held it over her head to prevent further damage

The Something Borrowed star was also sporting a crisp white shirt and dark trousers.

Last week Kate’s son Ryder was seen enjoying a lunch with his grandmother Goldie Hawn and her long-term partner Kurt Russell.

Two days earlier Kate was seen out for a stroll with her fiancé Matthew Bellamy and their son Bingham.

Seeing the funny side: Fortunately the 34-year-old saw humour in the uncharacteristically windy weather

Kate can next be seen alongside a host of famous faces in TV movie Clear History, scheduled for release next year.

The film tells the story of a disgraced marketing executive who decides to seek revenge on his former boss, who made millions from the electric car company that they once owned.

Clear History also stars Eva Mendes, Jon Hamm, Liev Schreiber and Michael Keaton.

Grandmother’s day: Kate’s mother Goldie Hawn took her eldest son Ryder out for lunch last weekend

Stylish mother: Two days earlier Kate took her son Bingham out for a stroll with fiance Matthew Bellamy

Share or comment on this article

• 
  EXCLUSIVE: ‘I feared for my life’: Christoph Waltz left…

• 
  Second ‘house of horrors’ abortion clinic where doctor…

• 
  Congressional hearing turns into IRS smackdown as disgraced…

• 
  Pictured: Moment singer George Michael is airlifted to…

• 
  Abortion, affairs and how tennis great Chris Evert the man…

• 
  ‘It made him look like a butler’: Retired general blasts…

• 
  ‘The screaming just got worse and worse … And then we…

• 
  Afghanistan soldier’s return home is a home run as he…

• 
  Time to buy some earplugs? Shock jock Howard Stern ‘buys…

• 
  ‘There is a possibility she is still alive’: Scotland Yard…

• 
  Tragedy as girl, 16, killed after ‘texting and driving on…

• 
  Adorable moment a sea lion shows concern when little girl…

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

• 
  
  Newest
• 
  
  Oldest
• 
  
  Best rated
• 
  
  Worst rated

She looks horrible

-

Jenna
,

San Francisco, United States,
18/5/2013 17:47

Report abuse

and this is news why??

-

fiona
,

Reading,
18/5/2013 17:31

Report abuse

Love her!

-

Dailyy
,

Manchester,
18/5/2013 17:21

Report abuse

Gorgeous.

-

Facioun
,

London, United Kingdom,
18/5/2013 17:11

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Only later, when I finally have the courage to see what new cyber-horrors the night has brought, do I realize that most of them are advertisements for everything from the popular blue pill to the latest best-sellers at Amazon — all because I was stupid enough to give my email address to just about every clothes store, book store, shoe store, used car dealer, doughnut shop and sushi bar I ever visited.

Who knew that when you filled in the line asking for your email address that it was an invitation to get pummeled relentlessly with advertisements and promotions?

Every morning brings a new sale, a new offer, a new opportunity, a new temptation. A guy could go broke saving money.

For those of us who struggle to control our spending, it’s like Satan whispering in our ears with another enticement to drive us to the poorhouse or divorce court. The spirit is willing but the wallet is weak.

So I don’t succumb to temptation, I begin the morning ritual of hitting the delete button and eliminating these pitches … until I come upon one from a classy clothing store that has the subject line, “Items you can’t live without,” otherwise known as “must haves.”

“Hmmm,” I conclude. “These things are obviously necessary for me.”

My curiosity is piqued, so I open the email to discover the “must haves” include a pricey cable-knit crew-neck sweater, a seersucker suit, cashmere socks, and some crazy-colored pastel golf shirts that I wouldn’t wear unless I was trying to frighten away woodland creatures and door-to-door solicitors.

I’m a guy with a long list of things he “can’t live without,” so many in fact that if I were to buy them all, I’d go bankrupt and run through my meager retirement savings in a few weeks.

Will power is something I’ve never understood, which is why my list of “things I can’t live without” is a long one.

However, I want to free myself from the consumer mentality, largely because there are billions of people out there who also have things they can’t live without, like clean water, food for their families, a safe place to live, and decent clothes that don’t include a merino wool sweater.

When I give it serious thought, I realize there are many things I can live without, and the older I get the more that list increases.

Maybe it’s time to start dispossessing and downsizing. We spend half our lives acquiring and half our lives discarding — or someone else gets that responsibility.

A few months ago, my neighbor died and left a house filled with possessions. Last week, cars were lined up and down the street as people wandered around his home, rummaging through his belongings and buying them for a fraction of their value so the family could get rid of “stuff” and move on.

When my father died, we took out three Dumpsters of stuff, all of it accumulated over the years. Yes, they were things he couldn’t live without even though I suspect that now he’s doing perfectly fine without them where he is.

Amid an ongoing restructuring by the private, family-owned apparel icon to cut operating costs and get its brand in front of more consumers, two new, young faces are emerging as the 183-year company’s leaders.

Nicholas P. “Nick” Brayton and Joshua W. “Josh” Rich are, with the company’s employees, designers, manufacturers, licensing partners and sales associates, the new future of an apparel and fabric manufacturer-wholesaler-retailer that has defied the test of time.

Brayton is just 34 and is the seventh generation of Woolrich founder John Rich II, a man who established a woolen mill in Little Plum Run, then trudged the mountains and valleys of Pennsylvania in a mule cart to sell wool to lumberjacks and their wives for clothing. He is the son of the late Roswell Brayton, who managed Woolrich and earned the respect of company employees and many others before he passed suddenly in 2007.

At age 27, Josh is an eighth-generation family member of the founder and the son of Woods Rich.

Brayton is the company’s president; Rich is vice president, international.

They are second cousins and bound by family ties that go back well before America’s Civil War.

The two recently sat down with the Williamsport Sun-Gazette and The Lock Haven Express newspapers, talking from the company’s corporate conference room along aptly named Mill Street in this tree-lined village, the walls graced with portraits of past family members who guided the company over the years.

Amid their smart phones, laptops, spreadsheets and iPads, the two men talked with a determined focus, a common vision of what they believe is a successful future for the company.

The business, they admit, has been about having to make some tough decision, led mostly by reducing the company’s workforce and payroll so it can invest in new strategies in the high-stakes world of apparel manufacturing and sales.

With those tough decisions, they said, has come a dose of humility and the need for patience.

“Josh and I have common goals, but we need to be patient. We both believe that Woolrich has not lived up to all of its standards in the past. But there needs to be balance. We can’t walk away from certain price points that have been established. It’s a gradual process of making our products more appealing from a fashion standpoint and price standpoint,” Nick said. “We’re taking more of a leadership role with how to guide our product evolution.”

Woolrich now has a little more than 200 fulltime employees worldwide, down from more than 400 just several years ago.

The company boasts gross revenues worldwide of about $250 million.

For perspective, Woolrich offers an array of outdoor clothing and gear, and of course, wool fabric. Its product offerings include shorts, pants, sweaters, vests, jackets, coats, pajamas and robes, sleepwear, and short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts, as well as footwear, petites, capris, and skirts and dresses for women.

In recent years, Woolrich has expanded its products to include bedroom accessories such as blankets, as well as throws, a line of goods comprising home decor wall accessories, outdoor furniture, area rugs, bath accessories, lighting, and mirrors.

The company serves customers through its flagship outlet store in this quaint, tree-lined village and through other retailers in the United States and Canada, as well as distributors internationally.

It has a growing on-line customer base, according to the two executives.

And, Woolrich still operates the oldest, vertically integrated woolen mill in the U.S., producing woolen fabrics sold to various brands worldwide.

Among Woolrich’s strategies is having selected products “Made in the USA” at a time when many apparel-makers still rely solely on offshore manufacturing.

After having joined the majority of U.S. clothing makers in moving their manufacturing off shore in the 1980s and 1990s, Woolrich believes there is a stronger market now, appealing to all generations, for domestically made products.

That, combined with the emotional connection many consumers have with Woolrich because of its history and longevity, are helping to guide the young executives’ strategies.

With 183 years under its belt, it’s no surprise that the name Woolrich can evoke an emotional reaction from consumers aware of its rich history.

The consumer reviews of Woolrich apparel on its website and Amazon and use the word “nostaligic” or often say, “My dad and grandfather used to wear one of these …”

The brand resonates with people, Nick said.

Historically, Woolrich has appealed to the 35 and up age group. The brand has relied heavily on outdoor specialty stores amid competition from Northface, Patigonia and Columbia brands. L.L. Bean and Lands End also are competitors.

Nick said he and Josh “want the same things for Woolrich,” and are “working to foster a new reality with employees.”

“We’re evaluating and refining new processes for more efficiency, more profitability, how we market our brand .. all in a way that leads to more business and more job creation,” Nick said.

It was the summer of 2011 when “Josh and I were called to make more family decisions for longevity.”

The two said they understand that effective leadership must bring with it humility.

While the restructuring is ongoing, Nick said employee morale is generally good, and “everyone understands where we want to go as a company … we’re focusing on who we are and what got us here – 183 years of tradition.”

“Sometimes hard decisions have to be made and I think people understand that,” Nick said.

The future will bring “greater opportunity for our brand,” Josh said. “There are markets we’ve not yet tapped into.”

“We’ve been a manufacturing company forever … and that’s been successful,” Nick added. “But we need to tell customers that we’re marketing what they want.”

However, he said, the company at times “hasn’t paid enough attention to our roots.”

The apparel industry is high stakes, requiring labels to get in front of customers with appealing design and pricing. Manufacturers must closely watch inventory levels amid higher labor, raw material and shipping costs.

The two said Woolrich must do a better job of marketing its brand.

“We will be more market driven, more consumer driven. There’s a resurgence in our team” Josh said.

Social media is a strategy the two are working to better utilize.

“We get a visceral … emotional reaction to our brand from people – something born from 183 years,” Josh said. “We’re focusing on making a commitment to what got us here today. We’re getting in front of customers in new ways.”

The two said the investment in people, a new design center and showroom in the Big Apple is very important. While Woolrich has had a presence in NYC for many years, its new location is a much bigger and bolder step to gain a broader marketing image and new customers.

“We have had a presence in New York for years. It was a smaller operation and we needed more resources to allow us to showcase to a much larger audience,” Nick said. “We’re more available, more accessible.”

“The accounts we want are in New York City, our fashion and lifestyle brand that we’ve not capitalized on in the past,” Nick said. “It shows Woolrich is back again, doing it the right way. The Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Sax Fifth Avenue … all the big clothing retailers are there … and so are we.”

New York also offers a closer connection to the national and global media covering the apparel and fashion industry.

“A lot of firms want to tap into our brand and that includes companies selling sneakers, purses, boots, iPad cases. Wool can be used for a lot of accessories, and we’re also looking at companies that use recycled materials-fabric. There’s a company called ReFleece that recovers fleece from jackets to make iPad cases,” Nick explained.

The two executives said the firm’s licensing partnership with WP Lavori in Italy “is a huge part of who we are globally.”

“They’re seeking out consumers and partners in markets and talked about growing opportunities for licensing in Europe, Scandanavia, Russia and Asia,” Nick said.

“Growth is occurring with our licensing partner,” Josh added.

A lot of people will be meeting Benedict Cumberbatch for the first time this weekend with the release of “Star Trek Into Darkness,” where he portrays a certain well-known villain. No spoilers, but here’s a hint:

Still others know him for redefining another iconic role on BBC’s “Sherlock,” now in production for its third season. But the British actor has been taking on well-known personas for even longer than that.

[Related: Is Benedict Cumberbatch the Owner of the Coolest Name Ever?]

Stephen Hawking (2004)

In the biopic from the BBC, Cumberbatch plays Stephen Hawking during his early years at Cambridge, coming to terms with an early theory and the beginnings of his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The role earned him a BAFTA nomination (the delightfully named British version of an Oscar).In addition, Cumberbatch narrates Hawking’s documentary series “Into the Universe” and “Grand Design,” and he’s a part of an upcoming documentary to be released in theaters also called “Hawking.” To avoid any confusion, this more recent documentary also features Buzz Aldrin, Sir Richard Branson, and Jim Carrey. Yes, that Jim Carrey. No, we don’t get it either.

Currently available on Amazon Instant Video (the old one, not the Ace Ventura one).

Vincent van Gogh (2010)

Taken entirely from actual letters written by and to Van Gogh, this documentary won a Rockie award at the Banff Festival in Calgary proving, once and for all, that the U.S. has the most boring award names in the world.

It was his work with idiosyncratic geniuses like Hawking and Van Gogh that would lead showrunners Steven Moffat and Mark Gattiss to cast him in the project that would catapult him to international prominence.

Not available commercially, but you can watch it on YouTube.

Sherlock Holmes (2010)

Purists (read: angry nerds) quickly rose up to condemn this modern take on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character, but most were won over by the exciting new energy Cumberbatch brought to the detective.

Those same purists rose up again when CBS greenlit “Elementary,” based largely on the success of the new BBC version. But fans of both needn’t despair: Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller (the CBS Holmes) are good friends. In fact, they did a two-man Frankenstein (directed by “Trainspotting’s” Danny Boyle) onstage in the U.K., trading roles every night.

Of course, any good actor will tell you the true measure of artistic success is how much merch you move. His signature wool coat and scarves are now as in fashion as Basil Rathbone’s classic deerstalker cap; Conan Doyle’s books reported a 180 percent uptick in sales during the first series; and Speedy’s sandwich shop (seen in the show) sees new customers drawn, presumably, by Cumberbatch’s prickly charms.

Available on Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, or just go up to anyone wearing a “Doctor Who” T-shirt, and they’ll more than likely be able to recount every episode to you verbatim.

Alan Rickman

Originally brought on “The Simpsons” to play a charmingly dopey prime minister (in the mode of Hugh Grant in “Love Actually”), he happened to reveal to the producers a penchant for imitating the Rickman drawl. So in the episode, you can hear him play four roles: he is Hugh Grant who is a prime minister and he is Alan Rickman who is Severus Snape. Not bad for 15 seconds of screen time.

His trademark baritone will be a lot more recognizable come December when he voices the (sub)titular dragon in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” — reunited once again with “Sherlock” co-star Martin Freeman.

Hear Cumberbatch’s impersonation of Alan Rickman singing Elton John: 

Season 24, Episode 12 of “The Simpsons” (“Love Is a Many Splintered Thing”) is available on Amazon Instant Video or probably still on your DVR.

Watch the “Star Trek Into the Darkness” trailer:

6:44pm Friday 17th May 2013 in News

By Juliette Astrup

PURRFECTLY DISCREET: Sex shop owner John Budimir

A SEX shop has opened in the middle of Poole’s High Street opposite a school uniform outlet.

Purrfectly Discreet, which opened on Thursday, has an over 18s warning on the door, and two large images of models in lingerie in the windows.

Yesterday shoppers and traders expressed their shock at the appearance of the store selling sex toys, clothing and accessories in the middle of the shopping strip, flanked by retailers including PMG Schoolware and a knitting wool shop.

Yet its owner already has plans to expand, and has applied to Borough of Poole for a sex shop licence to enable him to sell explicit R18 rated DVDs.

The shop at 82 High Street is in an already run-down part of town known for empty units, charity shops and cut price retailers, as well as problems with on-street drinking, drugs and begging.

Its appearance has raised fresh fears for the area, which is a walkthrough for tourists heading to and from the picturesque old town and quay.

Paul Gelernter, MD of PMG Schoolware, said he was ‘very disappointed’ about its position opposite his shop for school age children.

“It definitely has an effect on how that part of the high street is perceived – families will think twice before coming along here,” he added. “When people ask for directions to the schoolwear shop I don’t think I’m going to be happy to say go along to the sex shop and cross the road.”

Another nearby retailer, who asked not to be named, added: “The shops we’ve got are things like tattooists, gaming, pawn shops. It’s getting very sleazy.”

Ward councillor and former mayor Carol Evans said: “We want the high street to be a nice place for families – for me this is the death knell.”

Jonathan Sibbett, chairman of Poole Town Centre Management Board, said it would be ‘detrimental’ to their plans to ‘enhance the appeal’ of the high street.

“We feel that this shop will not fit in with the mix of current retailers and therefore affect the achievement of our aims.” Owner of Purrfectly Discreet John Budimir, 31, from Bournemouth, who also has a sex shop in Southend-on-Sea, told the Echo he had spent £100,000 on fitting it out, and wanted it to be ‘the best looking shop in Poole’. He added: “So many other licences have been granted in this area – you’ve got pubs, betting shops, a strip club and bar a few doors down – that’s why we chose this area.”

His licence application is now subject to a 28-day consultation until July 9, after which it will go before the licensing committee.

Comments(1)

BournemouthMum

says…

6:51pm Fri 17 May 13

Oh my goodness, shock horror! A sex shop near a children’s clothing shop – the owners of this establishment will no doubt drag children into their store and expose them to all sorts of sleaze whatever next!
BournemouthMum

Comment now! Register or sign in below.

Or

Photo courtesy of shine.yahoo.com

wool

Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013 5:45 pm

New brand makes wool hip

Anagabriela Medina, Alligator Blogger

The Independent Florida Alligator

|
0 comments

Guys, would you be willing to wear the same shirt for 100 days straight without washing, ironing or dry cleaning it?

Mac Bishop, founder of the new fashion brand called Wool Prince did just that in order to show the longevity of the wool fabric for his button downs. Yes, wool fabric, but don’t turn your nose up at the idea yet.

According to the Wool Prince website, the wool button down shirts can last six times longer than cotton ones, are odor resistant and naturally anti-wrinkle. It’s everything a college guy who hates doing laundry needs.

Wool fibers can be stretched and bounce back into their original form while also being great at absorbing sweat and making it evaporate into the air, according to the website.

The project started from asking guys one simple question: What is your favorite piece of clothing? Bishop found that men like the “versatile, low-maintenance nature” of jeans and used that as inspiration to improve the classic oxford shirt.

The brand has a Kickstarter to sell these shirts for $98. The original goal was to reach $30,000, which has already been passed by over $270,000. It looks like a few guys are interested in trying out the button downs for themselves.

Currently there is no women’s line since they are focused on creating a better button down for guys, but the Kickstarter page suggested that women could wear their shirt in the classic “boyfriend” style.

I think this magical shirt is almost a little good to be true, but I guess only time will tell whether this young brand is to the next biggest thing or just a one hit wonder. 

• ARTICLE: Hats off to Kentucky Derby fashion
• ARTICLE: Dressing for summer temperatures

• 
  Discuss
  
• Print
  
  
  

Posted in
Thursday

on

Thursday, May 16, 2013 5:45 pm.

| Tags:


Clothing,

Shirt,

Wool And Prince,

Wool Clothing

Boaz Herszfeld laughingly describes his family-owned company Creswick Woollen Mills as the best example of Darwinism in Australian textiles, and with a 65-year history behind it, nobody’s arguing.

The company has Australia’s last wool-spinning mill, a throwback from when the country did ride on the sheep’s back. While the mill still operates profitably, evolution has been in play.

The company, 130 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, was once one of hundreds of wool spinners in Australia after the Second World War. It is now part mill, part purveyor of quality branded goods, with a strong retail presence in Victoria.

Herszfeld puts the company’s survival down to the tenacity of his late grandfather Paul Ryzowy, a refugee from war-torn Poland, who was in charge of the business from 1947 until early this century. Ryzowy was said to have escaped Russia by walking 300 kilometres across the country in the dead of winter, before stowing away on a ship and spending time in Japan, China and New York.

He and a mate eventually bought 10 acres (four hectares) of land in rural Victoria and built the mill. He remained active there until his mid-90s.

Having survived a war and the challenges of being a new immigrant, Ryzowy had to contend with economic changes – the dismantling of tariff protections in the mid-1980s and textile conglomerates gobbling up smaller mills about the same time.

Arguably more difficult than all of this has been the arrival en masse of cheap imports which have all but destroyed the business in Australia. While Creswick is the only coloured woollen spinning mill left, three other mills still make carpet yarn.

“While he had reservations about making big changes, my grandfather understood implicitly that India and China would be able to produce products with their low-cost wages and raw materials,” Herszfeld says.

“The only way to win was to increase the value of the raw material, not cheapen it. We went for alpaca fleece, 100 per cent merino wool, cashmere and cotton because we knew that a large proportion of society still hungered for quality natural fibre products.”

Herszfeld believes Ryzowy’s decision to stay upmarket saved it from annihilation. “While everybody went one way, we went the other. Australian mills couldn’t compete with cheap imports and one by one they closed.

“It left a niche for a high-quality player and many people were getting sick of synthetics. We filled that gap.”

Creswick’s development of a luxury consumer product range is now its mainstay but it has not lost its original function. About 30 per cent of materials are still woven at the mill. All the same, it has adapted the business to be all things. It acts as a wholesaler to other companies (it is David Jones’ biggest supplier of blankets and throws) and a retailer (it has five shops in Victoria and an online outlet). It is not precious about everything being Australian made or derived. It imports materials such as cotton and cashmere from overseas and outsources manufacturing of other items.

Herszfeld admits that since taking over in 2002, the trend has been to decrease local manufacturing and step up retailing. The changeover seems to have worked. He estimates a tripling of revenues in the past decade.

When he took over, the core business was still producing rolls of fabric and kilos of yarn. This year he will open the company’s sixth shop, which will sell throws, blankets, high-quality thermals, jumpers and even some more unusual products such as beanies made from New Zealand possum.

Products are one thing, nostalgia another. As the last wool spinner, Creswick has become a tourist destination attracting 80,000 people a year to see a working mill and the flocks of alpacas.

“We have a carding machine that resembles a Yorkshire carding machine from the 18th century. It’s used to convert alpaca fibre into yarn. While we have put in the electronics, it’s still very close to what was used way back then.”

Winning the best garment in the evening wear category, Jane’s creation was a stunning cream and gunmetal pleated gown made from wool Charne fabric.

Competing against designers from throughout Australia and New Zealand, Jane’s gown featured a full-length pleated skirt, with a simple V-necked bodice, accentuated with 20m of piping.

A fashion designer by trade, Jane studied wool classing at the same time as fashion design, before she worked overseas in the fashion industry for 10 years.

“I have always been interested in wool fibre,” Jane said.

When she moved back to Deniliquin about 15 years ago, Jane continued designing wedding dresses and made-to-measure clothing.

But for the past few years, she has worked at the Peppin Heritage Centre, bringing numerous fashion and wool exhibitions to town.

Jane said the the awards provided her with an opportunity to meet people who could assist with an upcoming wool exhibition at the Peppin Centre, while increasing the exposure of the Charne wool fabric.

“It is a high-quality woollen fabric taken from Leon and Sandra Martin’s Charmac Merino, which are not subject to mulesing,” Jane said.

A total of 90 finalists showcased their designs at the Australian Wool Fashion Awards, with Werribee’s Larissa Murdock winning the recycled wool category with an outfit made from knitted jumpers.

South Australians Libby Spring and Celia Fraser won the bridal wear category.