Merino wool from Upper South East property, Kelvale, could soon be identified on top brand fashion labels.
Last week, passionate Keith woolgrowers Stephen and Peta Kellock hosted Italian spinner and weaver, Silvio Botto Paola from Botto Guiseppe, who supplies many of the world’s leading fashion houses.
Also touring the Kellock’s property with Michell Wool staff was one of Botto Guiseppe’s Japanese customers Yutaro Sawaki from Sumikin Bussan and and Miki Ferrarone, a leading wool sales agent in Biella, northern Italy.
Michell Wool chief executive officer Steven Read said their long-time customer, Botto Guiseppe, was looking for individual growers with first class animal welfare practises but also sustainable production, to source wool for top end consumer fashion brands.
“There was a lot of discussion about slow wool following the slow food trend and consumers knowing where the wool comes from just like their food,” he said.
Botto Giuseppe’s goal is to work with their clients to produce finished garments which are traceable back to an individual property.
“We have seen fast fashion labels source large quantities of non-mulesed wool from many growers but this is one of the first single farm, single brand enquiries that looks at both animal welfare and sustainability,” Mr Read said.
He said the Kelvale clip was a great fit with the Kellocks having ceased mulesing their flock about a decade ago and their 19.5 micron average wool fitting the sweater category perfectly.
“They (the Kellocks) have the breeding advantage but they have also got a good story to tell on-farm; dividing their paddocks up and rotational grazing, the regeneration of natural grasses in some areas and fencing off areas of trees,” Mr Read said.
Mr Read said wool had a natural advantage over man-made fibres in its environmental sustainability.
“While it is well recognised that the wool fibre has superior technical performance in garments the edge it has over man-made fibres in the area of sustainability is new and something which needs promotion to the consumer,” he said.
Previously some of Kelvale’s wool has been used in IO Merino active wear, but Mr Kellock is excited about the prospect of tracing wool from their 3500 head flock, which is shorn every six months.
“As woolgrowers we have always been interested in getting a direct mill to mill system in place to produce a certain (wool) top or fabric,” he said.
“Price is always determined by the market and we don’t think we can change that much but we want to get value for our product and show people how we produce it,” he said. “We haven’t signed anything yet but hopefully we can end up with Kelvale fibre that can be traced back from the start.”