#104 Monica Ebert about the outdoor apparel brand Core Merino

Monica Ebert Core Merino

Monica Ebert is the International Brand Development Manager at BKB in South Africa. Part of Monica’s work portfolio is the company’s outdoor apparel brand Core Merino. In this episode, Monica talks about the opportunities and challenges of marketing a South African merino wool product.

About Monica Ebert

Monica Ebert is the International Brand Development Manager at BKB in South Africa. Her responsibilities include managing the companies clothing line Core Merino. Monica joined BKB in March of 2018 after living and working in the wool industry in New Zealand and the United States.

Monica’s passion for the wool industry stems from her lifelong involvement in the sheep industry having been born into a small purebred sheep operation in Kansas, USA. She received her Bachelor’s degrees in Apparel Design and Apparel Marketing from Kansas State University and completed her Master’s degree at Angelo State University where she focused her research efforts on sheep and wool production and apparel product development concentrating on the processing and manufacturing of wool into activewear garments. Through her research and the development of a supply chain entirely within the United States textile industry, she gained unique insights of the wool supply chain from “sheep to shop”.

 

Connect with Monica Ebert here

Core Merino website

BKB website

Core Merino on Facebook and Instagram

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”01:08″] About Monica Ebert

[spp-timestamp time=”03:03″] About Core Merino

[spp-timestamp time=”08:15″] The target group of Core Merino

[spp-timestamp time=”11:31″] The challenges at Core Merino

[spp-timestamp time=”08:44″] The importance of good product photography

[spp-timestamp time=”17:28″] The goal of manufacturing in South Africa

[spp-timestamp time=”18:52″] What are the similarities and differences between different wool growing countries

 

Other episodes you may enjoy

#001: Rikki Beier talks about her wool baby wear start-up Ikki Small But Brave

#005: Mac Bishop shares his insights about starting Wool & Prince

#014: Monica Ebert on how to advance your career through the IWTO Young Professionals program

#021: Philip Attard About Creating the Gostwyck Merino Brand

#026: Debbie Luffman shares Finisterre’s unique wool story

#046: Janne Strommen about wool’s important role at Devold of Norway

#047: Nick Armentrout about the all American wool supply chain at Ramblers Way

#050: Claudia Weiss about Don Baez Eco Chic

#052: Gaspard Tiné-Berès about founding Lasso Shoes successfully

#053: Isak Staats about how to efficiently handle 32 million kg of wool per year

#073: Tove Grane about her label We Norwegians

#077: Wolf Edmayr about the current situation of the South African wool industry

#084: Lorents Tvedt about the knitwear brand Dale of Norway

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#103 Yvar Monasch about Best Wool Carpets

Yvar Monasch Best Wool Carpets

Yvar Monasch is the Managing Director at Best Wool Carpets, a company based in the Netherlands. In this interview, Yvar shares insights about the tufting carpet industry and about Best Wool Carpets. As the company’s name already conveys, Best Wool Carpets is an advocate for wool and is constantly trying to find new ways to communicate the wool message.

 

About Yvar Monasch

Born (1970) and raised in The Netherlands Yvar has always been interested in the sales and production side of business.
During his study of general economics at the University of Amsterdam Yvar got in charge of a piano store on one of the canals in Amsterdam.
Yvar joined Best Wool Carpets in 1998, doing a management buyout in 2000 and since then running it together with a highly engaged team.
It is an everyday dedication trying to do things differently than others and to exceed expectations.
The three core values of Yvar are:
• Always deliver on one’s promise
• If you think you know; ask and if you know; act
• All the success and all the failures are a team effort

 

Connect with Yvar Monasch here

Website of Best Wool Carpets

Best Wool Carpets on Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:45″] About Yvar Monasch

[spp-timestamp time=”01:48″] About  Best Wool Carpets

[spp-timestamp time=”03:30″] The Best Wool Carpet product range and distribution strategy

[spp-timestamp time=”06:57″] Typical applications for Best Wool Carpets

[spp-timestamp time=”09:28″] The development of Best Wool Carpets over time

[spp-timestamp time=”12:16″] The process of manufacturing a wool carpet

[spp-timestamp time=”19:11″] About the location Best

[spp-timestamp time=”23:04″] History of the textile industry around Best

[spp-timestamp time=”33:21″] Types of wools used for Best Wool Carpets

[spp-timestamp time=”39:51″] Discussion about wool supply

[spp-timestamp time=”42:23″] Why are less carpets being used?

 

 

Similar Episodes you may enjoy

#040 Lorna tells the wool story successfully at Alternative Flooring

#041 Graham Ormondoryd on how wool improves indoor air quality

#057 Andrew Cuccurullo is repositioning the Waverley Mills wool blanket

#082 Jacob Long about re-launching American Woolen

#098 Gudrun Rógvadóttir about the Faroe Islands wool label Gudrun and Gudrun

 

 

 

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#102 Luke Hooke about his one year of wool experience

Luke Hooke Year of Wool

Over the course of one year, Luke Hooke wore only wool, documenting his journey as his Year of Wool. In this podcast interview, Luke reflects on his experience during the last 12 months.

About Luke Hooke

Luke Hooke is the young Australian behind Year of Wool, a project promoting wool clothing and the wool industry. For 365 days Luke wore only wool and wool blend clothing to demonstrate the versatility and incredible natural qualities of wool and wool clothing. Having grown up on a wool growing farm in Victoria, Australia, Luke explored post-farm-gate part of the wool industry, promoting the wonderful fibre that is wool while also learning more about the industry.

Connect with Luke Hooke here

Year of Wool website

Year of Wool on Instagram

Year of Wool on Facebook

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”01:23″] About Luke Hooke

[spp-timestamp time=”02:41″] About Luke’s experience of wearing wool for one year

[spp-timestamp time=”04:10″] Companies visited by Luke

[spp-timestamp time=”09:13″] Wearing wool in summer vs. winter

[spp-timestamp time=”10:48″] Unexpected lessons from the year of wool

[spp-timestamp time=”13:18″] Feedback for wool brands

[spp-timestamp time=”14:35″] When Luke did not wear wool

[spp-timestamp time=”15:30″] Did anyone join Luke in his year of wool?

[spp-timestamp time=”16:17″] Did Luke find a wool belt?

[spp-timestamp time=”17:13″] Did wool include wool in his interiors?

[spp-timestamp time=”18:45″] Opportunities for the wool industry

[spp-timestamp time=”21:28″] What will Luke do once his year of wool is finished?

 

 

Similar episodes you may enjoy

#057: Andrew Cuccurullo is repositioning the Waverley Mills wool blanket

#058: Chantel McAlister tells the truth about wool

#062: Luke Hooke about wearing only wool for one year

#097: James Braszell about life as a shearer and photographer

 

 

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#101 Eric Bjergso about the Canadian Wool Industry

Eric Bjergso Canadian Co-Operative Wool Growers Limited

Eric Bjergso introduces us to the Canadian sheep and wool industry. In his interview, Eric provides insights into the history of the Canadian wool industry, sheep breeds and wool qualities. He describes the challenges and opportunities Canadian wool growers are faced with and how the Co-operative is supporting its members in the same.

About Eric Bjergso

Eric Bjergso is the General Manager of the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited. Eric is a graduate of the Agricultural College. He joined the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited in 1976 and has been the General Manager since 1983.

Connect with Eric Bjergso here

Canadian Co-ooperative Wool Growers Canada website

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:59″] About Eric Bjergso

[spp-timestamp time=”01:54″] About the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited

[spp-timestamp time=”04:46″] The history of sheep and wool in Canada

[spp-timestamp time=”06:47″] The Canadian wool clip

[spp-timestamp time=”07:22″] Best use of Canadian wool

[spp-timestamp time=”07:57″] Manufacturing countries of Canadian wool

[spp-timestamp time=”09:43″] About the Canadian wool producers

[spp-timestamp time=”10:44″] A typical wool year in Canada

[spp-timestamp time=”12:21″] Challenges of Canadian wool producers

[spp-timestamp time=”13:30″] Wool prices

[spp-timestamp time=”14:42″] Comparison of today’s Canadian wool industry and 1918

[spp-timestamp time=”14:42″] The future of Canadian wool

 

Similar episodes you may enjoy

#028 Pedro Otegui about the wool industry in Uruguay

#029: Robert Ryan about the Australian wool industry

#034 Louis de Beer about the South African wool industry and communal farming

#044 Rita Kourlis Samuelson about the American Sheep Industry

#067 Marion Tviland about the Norwegian wool industry

#083 Adam Dawes about the wool industry on the Falkland Islands

 

 

 

 

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#100 Elisabeth van Delden about the Wool Academy Podcast

Elisabeth van Delden_square_webElisabeth van Delden

Celebrating episode 100 of the Wool Academy Podcast it is time to hear more about the host of the show, Elisabeth van Delden. In this episode, Monica Ebert, a former guest of the show, interviews Elisabeth about the podcast.

Elisabeth will take you behind the scene of the podcast. You will learn how Elisabeth came up with the idea for Wool Academy, how each episode is created and what the future will bring for the podcast.

Connect with Elisabeth van Delden here:

Website

All Wool Academy podcast episodes

Wool-lifestyle.com Blog

Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”01:48″] How did Elisabeth get started in the wool industry?

[spp-timestamp time=”06:29″] How did the idea for the Wool Academy Podcast develop

[spp-timestamp time=”09:15″] How difficult was it to find guests for the show?

[spp-timestamp time=”10:28″] How does each episode come about?

[spp-timestamp time=”13:42″] Technical issues

[spp-timestamp time=”17:01″] How much time does it take for each episode?

[spp-timestamp time=”18:15″] Does the Wool Academy podcast earn any money?

[spp-timestamp time=”20:14″] Who listens to the Wool Academy podcast?

[spp-timestamp time=”22:22″] The most popular Wool Academy podcast episodes?

[spp-timestamp time=”24:04″] Celebrating 20.000 downloads

[spp-timestamp time=”26:56″] Elisabeth’s most favorite guest

[spp-timestamp time=”31:21″] Challenges faced with the podcast

[spp-timestamp time=”33:55″] Key learnings from the interviews

[spp-timestamp time=”37:54″] Future plans for the wool academy podcast

[spp-timestamp time=”44:13″] Elisabeth’s most favorite moment in the wool industry

[spp-timestamp time=”47:58″] Which other podcasts does Elisabeth listen to?

 

Other episodes you may enjoy

#001: Rikki Beier talks about her wool baby wear start-up Ikki Small But Brave

#004: Peter Ackroyd on how buying wool products is an investment with a return on capital

#014: Monica Ebert on how to advance your career through the IWTO Young Professionals program

#038 Francesco Botto Poala takes us behind the scenes of Reda 1865

#048: Mac Bishop from Wool & Prince

#080 Giovanni and Marco Schneider about building a global wool processing business

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#099 Rebecca Burgess about the Fibershed

Rebecca Burgess Fibershed

Rebecca Burgess introduces the Fibershed, a non-profit organization that explores and actively implements regional textile fiber and natural dye supply chains. In the interview, Rebecca explains how the idea for Fibershed developed and how it became an ever-growing self-sufficient community of wool growers, ranchers, designers, clothmakers and many more. She explains the concept of carbon farming, counter-intuitive funding models that work and how well-established brands can become part of the community. The Fibershed is a key solution to reversing climate change and an inspiration to the wider industry to think in new and different ways.

About the Fibershed

Rebecca Burgess is the founder of the Fibershed. Rebecca started the Fibershed originally with her local wardrobe project where she sourced all her clothing within a radius of 150-miles to where she lives.

Fibershed is a non-profit organization focused on education, advocacy and research efforts that directly drive economic development for de-centralized fiber and natural dye systems. Organizational goals include developing a working model for ‘soil-to-soil’ agriculture and manufacturing processes. Our work is designed to empower small and mid-scale farmers, designers and brands to engage in Climate Beneficial agricultural practices that bring regionally and regeneratively farmed textiles directly to the marketplace.

 

Contact Rebecca Burgess

Fibershed website

Connect with the Fibershed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:54″] About Rebecca Burgess and the Fibershed

[spp-timestamp time=”03:59″] How the Fibershed started

[spp-timestamp time=”11:06″] How did the Fibershed develop over time

[spp-timestamp time=”14:07″] About carbon farming

[spp-timestamp time=”22:50″] The members of the Fibershed community

[spp-timestamp time=”25:44″] Sheep and wool types in California being part of the Fibershed

[spp-timestamp time=”28:24″] How is wool being collected for the Fibershed

[spp-timestamp time=”31:00″] Rebuilding a weaving mill for the Fibershed

[spp-timestamp time=”36:49″] Funding model of the Fibershed

[spp-timestamp time=”43:01″] The Fibershed is asking us to keep thinking differently

[spp-timestamp time=”44:32″] The Fibershed is so far a unique model

 

Similar episodes you may enjoy

#019 Kjersti Kviseth about circular economy for textiles

#049 Dr. Beverley Henry about Wool Life Cycle Assessment

#075 Ingun Klepp on how consumer research reveals new business opportunities for wool

#076: Stephen Wiedemann about Wool Life Cycle Assessment

#090 Derelee Potroz-Smith is turning wool into gold with Woolchemy

 

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#098 Gudrun Rógvadóttir about the Faroe Islands wool label Gudrun and Gudrun

Gudrun and Gudrun Guest on the Wool Academy Podcast

Gudrun Rógvadóttir is the co-founder of the Faroe Island Knitwear label Gudrun and Gudrun. Together with the designer Gudrun Ludvig she started the label in 2000. Ever since the label grew to a well-known knitwear brand. In this podcast episode, Gudrun tells the story of how and why she started the label. She also introduces us to the Faroe Island wool and sheep industry and gives insights on how the label empowers women.

About Gudrun and Gudrun

Gudrun and Gudrun is a knitwear company specialised in hand-knit. The company was founded in 2002 by two Faroese women and the creative process of design is very closely linked to the isolation of the place.

The vision of the company is to make a difference, something very simple and yet very ambitious. The knitwear label wants to make clothes that meet the standards of conscious customers who care about each other, the environment, our common natural resources and who yet want to be stylish.

The hand-knitted collections are made in the homes of female knitters on the Faroe Islands, Jordan and Peru as part of a women’s empowerment project.

The Faroe Islands are 18 tiny islands situated in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and Norway. Only 45,000 people live on the islands. Still, it is a nation of its own culture and own language.

Connect with Gudrun and Gudrun

Website

The label on social media: Instagram , Facebook

Key Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:49″] About Gudrun and Gudrun

[spp-timestamp time=”06:26″] Where is the label distributed?

[spp-timestamp time=”06:41″] About the Faroe Islands

[spp-timestamp time=”08:45″] About sheep and wool industry on the Faroe Islands

[spp-timestamp time=”15:03″] Handknitters in Peru and Jordan knitting for the label

[spp-timestamp time=”23:30″] The difference in handknitting techniques around the world

[spp-timestamp time=”24:30″] The story behind the famous jumper

[spp-timestamp time=”29:12″] High interest from Japan

 

Similar Episodes you may enjoy

#026 Debbie Luffman shares Finisterre’s unique wool story

#050 Claudia Weiss about Don Baez Eco Chic

#067 Marion Tviland about the Norwegian wool industry

#073 Tove Grane about her label We Norwegians

#090 Derelee Potroz-Smith is turning wool into gold with Woolchemy

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#097 James Braszell about life as a shearer and photographer

James Braszell Photography at Wool Academy Podcast

James Braszell is a full-time shearer based in Australia. James found a creative way of sharing his passion for his work and life in the shearing sheds through his photography. Every day while shearing, James captures unique moments of life in the shearing shed.

In his Wool Academy Podcast interview, James shares insights into the work and life as a shearer and how he developed his second career as a photographer.

About James Braszell

In 2013, James Braszell, started working full time in rural Australia as a rouseabout. He wasn’t long into his time in the woolsheds when he realised it would be worth getting a camera and capturing the unique scenes he found around me every day. The people, the places, the animals and even the dirt and the dust – there was so much to capture everywhere he went! That was how James started his photography business.

Years later and his passion for the job has now only grown and he is now shearing full time. His photography has taken him all over the country and into countless woolsheds and farms where he has met many wonderful people on the way and snapped thousands of photos.

 

Connect with James Braszell here

Photography website 

Follow James’s photos on Instagram and Facebook

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:55″] About James Braszell

[spp-timestamp time=”02:44″] Why James became a shearer

[spp-timestamp time=”03:18″] About the life and work of a shearer

[spp-timestamp time=”11:46″] Shearing training

[spp-timestamp time=”13:37″] Shearers have strong backs

[spp-timestamp time=”15:07″] How to handle a sheep during shearing

[spp-timestamp time=”17:46″] Animal welfare of shearing

[spp-timestamp time=”20:18″] The fascination of working in the shearing shed

[spp-timestamp time=”21:21″] How long does it take to shear one sheep

[spp-timestamp time=”22:20″] About James Braszell’s photography

[spp-timestamp time=”23:45″] How are people responding to shearing shed photos?

[spp-timestamp time=”26:12″] The story behind the image

[spp-timestamp time=”28:55″] How to take good photos in the shearing shed?

[spp-timestamp time=”30:27″] James is visiting more shearing sheds

 

 

Other podcasts you may enjoy

#024: Ari Kuchar on telling wool stories through video

#058: Chantel McAlister tells the truth about wool

#070: Mark Grave about the services of the Australian Wool Exchange

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#096: Allan De Boos about successful wool education

Allan De Boos The Woolmark Company

Allan De Boos has been working in the wool industry his whole career. As the Programme Manager responsible for the Woolmark Wool Education Course at tertiary level he shares his knowledge with the wool industry’s future designers and engineers. In this episode, he talks about the programme and explains the importance of educating students in wool for the innovations of the future.

About Allan De Boos

Dr. Allan de Boos is a graduate of the University of NSW (Textile Technology – Chemistry) and the Victoria University of Manchester (Dept Chemical Physics). He was employed by CSIRO Division of Wool Technology from 1968-2002 conducting research into the chemical and mechanical finishing of wool and wool-blend fabrics.

While at CSIRO he worked closely with fabric and garment manufacturers particularly in Italy and the UK, on the exploitation of SiroFAST and other systems for fabric objective measurement for fabric and garment manufacturing.

Over the last 15 years, Allan has worked for Australian Wool Innovation and is currently the Programme Manager responsible for Woolmark Wool Education Course at tertiary level. Over the past four years, he has delivered the Woolmark Course at Yantai-Nanshan university in Nanshan, China. The delivery involves two periods, each of two months, working in Nanshan. This year he will also be delivering units at Jiaxing University.

In addition to delivery of the course units, Allan conducts ‘course familiarisation’ sessions with staff from other Chinese universities so that they can evaluate the course and its materials for inclusion in the university undergraduate programme for textile engineers.

Allan also manages the delivery of units of the course at several other textile-related universities in China by staff from Deakin University (Australia).

 

About AWI/The Woolmark Company

AWI is the research development and marketing (RD&M) organisation for the Australian wool industry.

AWI’s mission is to invest in research, development, marketing and promotion to enhance the profitability, international competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian wool
industry and increase demand and market access for Australian wool.

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and its subsidiary The Woolmark Company (TWC) represent the interests of 55,000 wool growers in Australia.

AWI is proud of what it has achieved for Australian wool growers. In FY17 AWI invested $71 million in 398 projects with 140 partners worldwide. These included leading international brands and sport companies such as Nike and Adidas who recognise their customers are interested in natural fibre, and in particular wool, in clothes, running shoes, and soft tailoring.

Connect with AWI and the Wool Education Course

Wool Appreciation Course

AWI website

The Woolmark Company website

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”01:43″] About Allan De Boos

[spp-timestamp time=”03:02″] Career achievements of Allan De Boos

[spp-timestamp time=”06:36″] About the Wool Education Course

[spp-timestamp time=”11:27″] Details on the Yantai-Nanshan University and Jiaxing University

[spp-timestamp time=”13:03″] Who are the students of the Wool Education Course?

[spp-timestamp time=”14:32″] The curriculum of the Wool Education Course

[spp-timestamp time=”16:02″] Expanding the course to more lecturers, countries and online

[spp-timestamp time=”19:06″] First results from the Wool Education Course

[spp-timestamp time=”20:34″] Additional examples of the AWI Education and Extension programme

[spp-timestamp time=”23:07″] How to join the course

[spp-timestamp time=”23:56″] Allan’s most favourite moment working in the wool industry

 

Other episodes you may enjoy

#017: Angus Ireland about the latest wool research Edit

#064: Nora Kuehner explains the key trends for wool

#070: Mark Grave about the services of the Australian Wool Exchange

#078: Jimmy Jackson about wool knitting manufacturing in China

#086 Peter Morgan about the Australian Wool Export Industry

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#095 Yolanda Leask and Martin Brambley about Cloudwool

Yolanda Leask and Martin Brambley are the two young entrepreneurs behind the company Doppelhaus. In this episode, the two fashion textile experts talk about their product Cloudwool. Cloudwool is a non-woven fabric made out of wool. Yolanda and Martin share how they came up for the idea of Cloudwool and what they are trying to achieve with this product for wool and the planet.

About Doppelhaus

Yolanda Leask and Martin Brambley are the founders and Directors of Doppelhaus Ltd.

Doppelhaus Ltd is a textile company specialising in utilising non-woven technology for the creation of high-quality fabrics. Their novel approach involves meticulous consideration and research in to supply chains, sustainability and surface technology/design.

Yolanda’s and Martin’s vision remains to develop and produce reliable, high-quality textiles for many industries. They are on hand to impart their unparalleled creativity and passion into a project you may have. The two are based in London & Berlin.

Connect with Yolanda Leask and Martin Brambley from Doppelhaus

Doppelhaus website

Doppelhaus on Instagram and Twitter

 

Key Time Stamps

[spp-timestamp time=”00:50″] Introductions by Yolanda Leask and Martin Brambley

[spp-timestamp time=”02:39″] About Doppelhaus and Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”05:42″] How the idea came about for Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”09:21″] Explanation of the name Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”11:09″] What are non-woven fabrics?

[spp-timestamp time=”15:44″] How do Cloudwool fabrics look like?

[spp-timestamp time=”17:05″] Benefits of Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”18:57″] Why Cloudwool uses British wool

[spp-timestamp time=”28:02″] How Cloudwool fabrics can be used

[spp-timestamp time=”34:29″] Where is Cloudwool manufactured

[spp-timestamp time=”35:42″] The challenges of developing Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”37:39″] Biggest learning from developing Cloudwool

[spp-timestamp time=”42:13″] Future plans for Cloudwool

 

 

 

Similar episodes you may enjoy

#082 Jacob Long about re-launching American Woolen

#089 Evan Helle about his sheep to shelf brand Duckworth

#090 Derelee Potroz-Smith is turning wool into gold with Woolchemy

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