Beyond the Bale - Issue 25 - Cool and convenient wool impresses Asian market
Australian Merino is starting to reap the benefit of innovative products designed to meet the lifestyles of the consumers of China and Japan
The manufacture of Heilan machine-washable and Aoyama high-twist Merino ‘cool wool' suits has swung into full production after successful trials in China and Japan.
AWI global product development manager Jimmy Jackson says the demand for full production shows the interest in Australian Merino wool products is strengthening in key Asian markets. But he says the success of the trial runs is not due to the reputation of the fibre alone: "You need something else. The key is getting on to retailers' shelves: you've got to come up with innovative products that meet consumers' changing lifestyles, attitudes or demands."
Picture right: The demand for full production of suits such as Heilan's machine-washable suit shows the overwhelming interest in Australian Merino wool products in China.
Mr Jackson says AWI has worked closely with local businesses to identify unique selling points in line with the specific customer needs, and created products to fit. In energy-conscious Japan, where a national policy has cut back airconditioning in government buildings, that need is for a cool wool suit. In China, where 15 million new washing machines are sold each year and where people have an aversion to dry-cleaning, a machine-washable suit is the order.
The Heilan suit, developed by AWI and the Chinese menswear manufacturing and retailing giant the Heilan Group, with Melbourne's Berkeley Apparel and CSIRO, holds its shape and style after machine-washing.
Made from 50 per cent polyester and 50 per cent 19.5 and 21 micron Australian Merino wool, the suits' first outing in China this year was received well by the market – 4000 suits selling out in all stores.
Heilan is now rolling out another 45,000 suits across the season that started in September. So far 20,000 suits have been delivered to 250 Heilan retail shops in China to meet demand.
Meanwhile, the pilot run of 3700 ‘cool wool' suits, made from high-twist Australian Merino wool, has almost sold out just four months after being launched in Japan by AWI and Japanese retailer Aoyama. The suit retails for about A$660 and has generated about A$2.3 million in sales.
The unique fabric, developed by AWI in collaboration with Japanese spinner and weaver NIKKE (Nippon Keori Kaisha), is created using yarn with a relatively high number of turns per inch. It feels crisp and soft and is extremely lightweight, with increased breathability and stretch.
Labelled the PAZZO collection, it successfully attracted the attention of fashion-conscious young customers who enjoyed the fitted cut and style and the colours and patterns of the fabric, Aoyama Trading Company general manager Yoshiyuki Maekawa says.
"We see a potential for a significant volume of demand for the PAZZO and other Merino lightweight suits in the future," he says.
The suit has helped people keep cool in offices that have limited their airconditioning as part of the Japanese Government's Cool Biz project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another 20,000 suits are now in production in preparation for release on the retail market for spring/summer 2007.
In China, the Heilan suit is being promoted as supporting a ‘healthy way of living' in line with current social trends, bypassing the need for chemical dry-cleaning procedures and saving time and energy.
Heilan executives said the suit met consumer demand for easy care, convenience, style and – at a price of about A$200 – cost-effectiveness.
"Natural fibres are being sought after by our customers," says Heilan corporate planning director Madame Tao. "However, price is a very important factor. We appreciate AWI's efforts to assist us in addressing both issues and with their marketing support we see even more potential in this area."
More information: www.merinoinnovation.com.
Return to Beyond the Bale issue 25 index page.