Tag Archive for: Wool Academy Podcast

Dave Maslen from the New Zealand Merino Company as guest on the Wool Academy Podcast

#036: Dave Maslen about giving consumers a great wool experience

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Dave Maslen introduces the New Zealand Merino Company in this Wool Academy Podcast interview. Dave explains the different benefits NZM offers to its wool growers, supply chain partners and brand retailers. He also talks about the research NZM conducted to better understand the environmental impacts of wool. Dave  is also an expert when it comes to understanding the passionate wool consumer and what it takes to turn first-time wool customers into raving fans.

About Dave Maslen

Dave Maslen is the Global Partnerships Manager at the New Zealand Merino Company. This involves taking primary responsibility for NZM’s key international relationships with its retail brand partners and supply chain partners. He is responsible for NZM’s marketing activities, maintenance and growth of existing business, development of new business, supply chain and contract management, strategic growth initiatives, research and development, and sustainability, traceability and ethical production. Dave has a background in environmental science and sustainable land management, and is engaged globally with a broad range of agencies focused on sustainability.

Connect with Dave Maslen here

The New Zealand Merino Company website

The ZQ Merino accreditation programme

NZM on Facebook and Twitter

ZQ Merino on Facebook

ZQ Merino Fibre Factsheet

 

Michael Jackson AWTA guest at Wool Academy Podcast 035

#035: Michael Jackson from AWTA talks about wool testing

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Michael Jackson is the Managing Director of AWTA, the Australian Wool Testing Authority. In this Wool Academy Podcast Michael explains how wool testing works. In particular he explains what wool tests are applied to each bale of wool and what the benefits are for the wool grower as well as the buyer. Michael also talks about why the wool industry testing standards are unique compared to other fibres and how new test standards get created to meet today’s consumer expectations.

About Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), which is an international body representing the interests of the world’s wool textile trade and industry. On behalf of the industry and its members, IWTO standardises trading instruments; facilitates marketing; lobbies to protect the interests of wool industry; and provides a network to the industry worldwide.  He is also the Chairman of IWTO’s Contracts & Specifications Committee.

He has been with the Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd since 1987 and became the Managing Director in 2001.

Michael has a Bachelor of Science in Wool Technology (First Class Honours) Degree from the University of New South Wales and Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management at the University of Queensland.

Connect with Michael Jackson here

Website of the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA)
Wool Wise – the website for the Australian wool education trust
Video about wool testing
More information about the Wool Handlemeter
AWTA’s Twitter account
Wool Academy Podcast guest Louis de Beer of Cape Wools South Africa

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

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Louis de Beer is the CEO of Cape Wools, an industry association representing the interests of the South African wool industry. In this episode, Louis gives insights into the South African wool industry and explains what makes South African merino wool special. Louis also tells the success story of local communal farming projects in the Eastern Cape.

About Louis de Beer

Louis de Beer is the Chief Executive Officer of Cape Wools SA.  Prior to accepting the position at Cape Wools in 2011, Louis gained extensive managerial experience in the SA wine, fruit and fishing industries whilst living his passion for agriculture.

Cape Wools is the official industry representative organisation of the South African Wool Industry, and that represents the collective interests of the wool producers, wool buyers and processors, wool brokers and traders, small stock breeders, labour and the wool testing group. Cape Wools promotes the wool communities’ interests within South Africa and internationally in partnership with the other great wool producing nations of the world.

Louis currently serves as a council member of the Campaign for Wool and represents SA’s interests at International Wool Textile Organisation.

Connect with Louis here

Cape Wools South Africa website
Video about the communal farming project

 

Wool Academy Podcast Philippa Wright of Wright Wool

#033: Philippa Wright always brings on new perspectives to be successful in wool

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Philippa Wright, Founder and Managing Director at Wright Wool, talks about running a wool broker business in New Zealand. Being one of the few women in a leading position within the industry she brings fresh perspectives and approaches to the business. Philippa talks about motivating young people to join the industry and how she uses social media platforms such as Facebook to connect with the younger generations of farmers as well as a wider international audience.

About Philippa Wright

Philippa Wright is the Founder and Managing Director of Wright Wool.  Philippa founded Wright Wool 15 years ago, becoming New Zealand’s first and only female owner/operator Wool Broker.Philippa was introduced to the wool industry through her father Bryan, who was a Private Wool Buyer and Fine Wool Classer in the South Island. Her father of 86 years now assists Philippa with wool sale preparation and the auctions. Her life partner Dean Freeman, who is an independent Stock Agent, is the auctioneer for Country Auctions.

Wright Wool is a privately owned Woolbroker with two subsidiary companies, Country Auctions Ltd and Dag Processors Ltd. The head office and wool store business is in Waipukurau, Central Hawkes Baysubsidiarywe service all of the Hawkes Bay and wider areas. Wright Wool employs 9 experienced, highly qualified staff.

Philippa is an executive member of the NZ Woolbrokers Association, she is an active member of the National Council of NZ Wool Interests and sits on several working groups of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO).

Philippa was one of the original flag bearers for the Campaign For Wool, an initiative started by HRH Prince of Wales, aimed at rejuvenating the global industry. She is now a Trustee of CFW NZ and was the first chair of the Trust.  Philippa represents NZ on the executive of Global CFW.

Wright Wool has recently developed a Quality Assurance Programme (WWQAP) to ensure best practice is adhered to from farm to yarn and to demonstrate the importance of delivering wool sustainability.

Connect with Philippa here

Link to the Wright Wool website
Link to the Wright Wool Facebook page
This is the Father Christmas figure Philippa mentioned in the episode. He does have a really nice New Zealand merino wool beard!
Father Christmas with wool beard by Alison Aquisitions Ltd
Source: Alison’s Aquisitions Ltd (www.alisonsacquisitions.com)
Wollmeister Berlin Jonas Sanders Wool Academy Guest

#032: Jonas Sanders about his ‘merino wool only’ shop called Wollmeister Berlin

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Jonas Sanders opened his merino wool only shop in May 2016 under the name Wollmeister Berlin. In his shop, Jonas is only selling a small number of merino wool fashion brands. With his long experience in retail, Jonas takes care to offer brands that not only perform well but also look stylish.

In this Wool Academy podcast episode, Jonas talks about how he came up with the idea to start his merino wool only shop after a visit to New Zealand. He also shares insights about his customers and how he creates new wool fans one by one.

About Jonas Sanders

Coming from a long line of textile engineers, Jonas has inherited an interest in quality and comfort in fabrics. After his postgraduate studies as sports specialist, Jonas managed for over ten years different fashion and outdoor shops. This experience allowed Jonas to study the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic materials. At the same time, he began to discover the versatility of wool.

After a visit to merino wool brands in New Zealand, Jonas decided to launch the first merino concept store in Berlin under the name Wollmeister. In his shop, Jonas is selling clothes exclusively made of merino wool – not just for sports, but also for every other occasion. Jonas takes care to select the most interesting and stylish products from a variety of labels such as Formal Friday, Funktion+Schnitt, Mons Royale, Pally Hi, Finisterre, Houdini and many more. All of the brands he sells use mulesing-free wool and most labels manufacture in Europe. In 2017 Wollmeister Berlin celebrated its first anniversary.

 

Connect with Jonas here

Wollmeister Berlin website

Wollmeister Berlin on Instagram and Facebook

Jonathan Dyson Twist Magazine 031 Wool Academy Podcast

#031: Jonathan Dyson about the growing desire of consumers to know the story behind a product

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Jonathan Dyson, the editor of Twist magazine, shares his views as a journalist on the wool industry. He explains how there is a growing desire for information of which most of that is driven by the consumer. Consumers want to know more about the story behind the product. This has the effect that brands and retailers need to provide the consumer with more information and are therefore looking towards the supply chain to find it. Jonathan also talks about how all natural fibres are heading towards a situation where they need to focus on high-value products. This means consumers need to be made aware of why these products are more expensive and have more value attached.

About Jonathan Dyson

Jonathan Dyson joined World Textile Information Network (WTiN) – www.wtin.com – as a staff journalist in 2006, and became editor of Wool Record in 2007, before re-launching the magazine as Twist in 2008. In addition, he was the WTiN head of content from 2009-11. Now in his second spell as Twist editor, Jonathan also edits the WTiN online Natural Fibres & Yarns channel, as well as Knitting International. Jonathan has also worked as a freelance journalist, contributing to The Times, The Observer and The Independent on Sunday, as well as a wide range of global business and sports media.

Connect with Jonathan Dyson here

World Textile Information Network (WTiN) website
Follow Jonathan on Twitter
Ingun Klepp Wool Academy Podcast

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

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Ingun Klepp is a research professor at Consumer Research Norway, an institute at the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences. Ingun is specialised in consumer research on sustainable textile, clothing, laundry and leisure consumption.

In this episode, Ingun talks about the different findings she uncovered when studying wool in relation to consumer behaviour. In particular, Ingun studied the use of wool in beds. Ingun started with the intention to understand why we use cotton as linen instead of wool. At the end of her study, she discovered how consumers use wool in their beds in many unconventional ways.

Another research project Ingun shares during the interview is a study on the smell of sports clothing which made wool outperform synthetics.

Ingun is also a thought leader on environmental issues related to textiles. In particular, she criticises the focus on waste and recycling. Instead, she encourages us to think about creating better, longer lasting apparel that is of value to the consumer.

All of Ingun’s research findings help us develop new business ideas for wool products that are of value to the consumer and the planet.

 

About Ingun Klepp

Ingun Klepp works with research on sustainable textile, clothing, laundry and leisure consumption and has written numerous articles and books on these themes. The relationship between textiles, social and physical characteristics and how these are woven together is at the core of her interest and she loves popular dissemination and new methods.

Connect with Ingun Klepp here

Consumer Research Norway website

Ingun’s wool research papers

Robert Ryan Wool Academy Podcast 029

#029: Robert Ryan about the Australian wool industry

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Robert Ryan holds various leading positions within the Australian Wool industry. In this episode, Robert explains the different activities and roles of the organisations he is leading which gives a great overview of the set up of the Australian wool industry.

 

About Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan has 40 years of experience in the wool industry. He is the current Chairman of the Federation of Australian Wool Organisations and Member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia.

In addition to these roles, Robert is also the Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Schute Bell Badgery Lumby, Woolbrokers and Stock and Station Agents in New South Wales and Queensland. Schute Bell commenced trading in 1906.

In June 1996, Robert was elected to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Australia and has held a number of positions on various Committees.  He was Chair of the Sheep and Wool Committee from 1999 – 2009 and was elected President of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW in June 2014.

A Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services in the wool industry was awarded to Robert in June 2014.

 

Connect with Robert Ryan here

Schute Bell Badgery Lumby website

Schute Bell’s facebook page

Schute Bell on twitter

Federation of Australian Wool Organisations (FAWO) website

National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia website

Royal Agricultural Society of NSW website

 

Pedro Otegui Lanas Trinidad at the Wool Academy Podcast

#028: Pedro Otegui about the wool industry in Uruguay

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Pedro Otegui from wool combing mill Lanas Trinidad in Uruguay gives an overview of the Uruguayan wool market in general and introduces his family company Lanas Trinidad. Pedro explains how Lanas Trinidad manages to be self-sufficient in terms of the mill’s water and energy consumption always keeping the environment in mind. Lanas Trinidad also complies to many accreditation and licenses and Pedro explains the benefit of the same. Furthermore, Pedro discusses the issues the industry faces as more and more farmers disengage from wool production. In this episode, you will also learn from Pedro what is so special about Uruguayan wool and how farmers are committed to high animal welfare standards.

About Pedro Otegui

Pedro Otegui is the Director at the wool combing company Lanas Trinidad in Uruguay. Lanas Trinidad is the main producer and exporter of combed wool tops in Uruguay. Pedro is the 3rd generation of the Otegui family working in the company which was founded in 1916.

Connect with Pedro Otegui here

Lanas Trinidad Website

Wool Academy Podcast and Planet Wool

#027: IWTO Planet Wool Special

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For one episode the Wool Academy podcast is being taken over by Planet Wool – a Podcast by the International Wool Textile Organisation. As this episode is launching on 3 May 2017, the 86th IWTO Congress is taking place in Harrogate, United Kingdom. The IWTO Congress offers 3 full days of excellent wool industry speakers and networking opportunities. Wool Academy is of course also attending the event to secure some more amazing interviews for the podcast.
This episode gives all Wool Academy listeners a taste of the IWTO Congress. In 2016, The IWTO Congress took place in Sydney, Australia. All presentations from that event have been recorded and published as the Planet Wool Podcast. In this Wool Academy episode, you can listen to one of these presentations.
The speaker is Craig Vanderoef, Senior Director Global Running Apparel and Customization at Adidas. Craig talks about growing the next generation of wool in sports. He particularly talks about how to communicate to the generations called Gen Y and Gen Z. He also points out how retail brands and the wool industry can work closely together to deliver innovative products to these younger consumers.
If you want to listen to more presentations, go to Soundcloud.com and search for Planet Wool. A total of 28 great episodes awaits you there. The Planet Wool podcast covers topics such as wool market trends, sustainability, consumer trends, education and retail.

Connect with Planet Wool here

Planet Wool – a Podcast by IWTO can be found on Soundclound.com