Wool Academy with Elisabeth van Delden

IntroductionIn this episode, Chris Wilcox who is the world's leading analyst and commentator on the global wool industry, explains the different elements of the wool market. These include an overview of the main wool growing, manufacturing and consuming countries, wool's market share compared to other fibres, wool prices, world sheep population and many more. Chris also shares latest insights on market trends and how the wool manufacturing market will shift in the next few years. 

About Chris WilcoxChris Wilcox is the world’s leading analyst and commentator on the global wool industry. He has 25 years’ experience in conducting and guiding economic research, market intelligence analysis and strategic assessment of key issues in the global wool industry, in a career of over 35 years in Australian agribusiness. He is a widely recognised public speaker on the global wool industry, having given over 200 presentations at conferences and meetings around the world, including China, the USA, Italy, France, Uruguay and Germany. Chris operates his own consultancy business, Poimena Analysis, and has a number of roles in the global wool industry, including: Executive Director of the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia; Chairman of the International Wool Textile Organisation’s Market Intelligence Committee; and a Board Director of the Australian Wool Testing Authority. He prepares the International Wool Textile Organisation’s annual Market Information statistics publication and also prepares the American Sheep Industries’ Wool Journal six times a year. Chris is Secretary and Analyst for the Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee.

IntroductionIn this episode, Dr. Beverley Henry talks about why the opinions about the sustainability for fibres varies so much and how we can find common grounds through the method of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). She shares with us the latest findings on LCA research for wool and how this is integrated into the textile supply chain. Beverley explains how individual companies can use the available research on LCA to improve their product footprint.

About Dr. Beverley HenryDr Beverley Henry is a member of the IWTO Wool Life Cycle Assessment Technical Advisory Group, an Adjunct Associate Professor with Queensland University of Technology, and a consultant to agricultural industries. For over 30 years she has conducted research on agricultural systems focusing on profitability and sustainability especially in variable climates and markets. Beverley is particularly interested in the integration of grazing in extensive pastoral regions with effective environmental management and in communicating the value of these systems. She is a member of Australian Government technical groups on climate change and research issues and a member of several national and international Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Standards bodies, including roles with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and International Standards Organization.

IntroductionIn this episode, Monica Ebert shares insights about her experience with the IWTO Young Professionals program and how it has helped her career including finding her current job role as Market Developer Manager at NZ Merino. As a young wool industry professional, Monica talks about how students can advance their careers and how companies can connect to the young and upcoming talents. If you thought you could never sell or buy a sheep through Facebook, think again, as Monica talks about how her family does sheep sales online.

About Monica EbertMonica’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 active wear 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”. When the opportunity arose in 2014 to attend the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Cape Town, South Africa through the young professional program, Monica took advantage of the chance to learn more about the global wool industry through farm visits as well as networking at the Congress. Now with several IWTO events under her belt she has now begun to take a larger role in the international wool industry and assisted the IWTO staff by serving as the coordinator of the young professionals at the 2016 Congress in Sydney, Australia.

IntroductionIn this episode Weaver, Entrepreneur and Author Malcolm Campbell talks about his book series project called Malcolm the Weaver. Through his books Malcolm educates 4 to 8 year old children about the art of colour and the craft of textiles. Malcolm points out the issues that we have within the textile industry today and long-term if we don't get children, teenagers and students excited about textiles. Malcolm shares the experiences he had with his book project and his future plans going forward.

About Malcolm CampbellMalcolm Campbell began his career in this glorious textile industry in 1970, as apprentice weaver and textile designer for A&J Macnab of Haddington in Scotland, he attended the Scottish College of textiles in Galashiels on block release, and in 1975 was awarded the City & Guilds of London Institute certificate in Textile Design and Colour, and Business Management. In 1975 Malcolm moved to Yorkshire as assistant designer with Hirst & Mallinson of Huddersfield, and in 1978 was appointed Sales and Marketing Director of West Riding Fabrics in Leeds. He moved into the retail sector, and back to Scotland, in 1983 with The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, as design and marketing Director, and in 1990, moved back to Yorkshire as design, sales and marketing Director for the Parkland Group. Malcolm was appointed Managing Director of Alexander Drew, textile printers in Rochdale in 2000, and in 2002, became marketing Director for The Woolmark Company, in Ilkley, until 2007, when he joined the Holland & Sherry Group as sales and marketing Director. Malcolm is currently working for Retail & Textile Co., on projects in Egypt with GoldenTex Wool Co., Europe and USA.

IntroductionIn this episode, Galina Witting, co-founder of Baabuk, talks about how she and her husband came up with the idea for their wool shoe label Baabuk. Galina shares the key challenges and learnings she had at Baabuk and how she manages the different aspects of her business including sourcing, e-commerce and social media. Baabuk also launched with the support of a Kickstarter Campaign which she explains in this episode as well. 

About Galina WittingGalina graduated from HEC Lausanne, Business school of Switzerland. For several years she worked for a multination company in Switzerland and abroad acquiring strong project management and marketing skills. At Baabuk she takes care in particular of the marketing and communication, sales, new product development, and administration.

IntroductionIn this episode, wool specialist Roy Kettlewell explains the different wool finishing processes, relevant wool product tests and shares his insights about why wool succeeds in the sports, casual and baby wear markets.

About Roy KettlewellRoy started his career 43 years ago in his birthplace of Yorkshire, UK, working for the International Wool Secretariat, and then The Woolmark Company specialising in chemical finishing and developing innovative technologies and processes such as the Mercerised Merino for the wool fibre. For the last eight years he has been based in Sydney Australia working for Australian Wool Innovation as Global Innovations Manager and since July 2016 as an independent consultant with Kettlewell Consulting. Over the last four decades he has worked with entire wool processing pipeline from the raw fibre to garment making; in Europe, USA, China, India to implement the new technologies and deliver a point of difference for the industry. At the same time he has collaborated with global retailers and manufacturers to help, through training key staff, to communicate the benefits of merino wool innovations to the consumer. The key to successful innovation is to make sure it meets a market need and enhances value in the eyes of the customer.

IntroductionIn this episode Marketing and Communications strategist, Rob Langtry, gives recommendations on how to approach social media as a business within the wool supply chain. Rob also gives advice on how to find the resources to do marketing and communications for one's business and products. This episode is part 2 of a 2 part series. Listen to the first part of the interview in episode 09.

About Rob LangtryRob Langtry is the Chairman and CEO of Consultus Counsel. To quote one of Australia’s leading, globally-awarded Executive Creative Directors: ”Australia has produced many great marketers and many great creative strategists. Rob Langtry is one of a small number who have climbed to the top of both trees and few, if any, have applied their skills and experience with greater success on more foreign shores.” Of the many senior roles Rob has held in any hemisphere and on either side of the client/agency divide, the one which required him to draw most heavily on this wealth of experience was his role Global Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer with Australian Wool Innovation Limited/Woolmark International for the last 7 years.

IntroductionIn this episode Marketing and Communications strategist, Rob Langtry, explains how today's communication environment has changed dramatically and how wool industry businesses along the whole supply chain can successfully communicate the story of wool. Rob explains why it is important to no longer view wool as a commodity but a value adding component in order for wool to achieve higher price premiums. Rob also shares his 7 step process on how to develop a marketing and communications strategy. This episode is part 1 of a 2 part series. Listen to the second part of the interview in episode 10.

About Rob LangtryRob Langtry is the Chairman and CEO of Consultus Counsel. To quote one of Australia’s leading, globally-awarded Executive Creative Directors: ”Australia has produced many great marketers and many great creative strategists. Rob Langtry is one of a small number who have climbed to the top of both trees and few, if any, have applied their skills and experience with greater success on more foreign shores.” Of the many senior roles Rob has held in any hemisphere and on either side of the client/agency divide, the one which required him to draw most heavily on this wealth of experience was his role Global Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer with Australian Wool Innovation Limited/Woolmark International for the last 7 years.

IntroductionIn this episode, Managing Director of the Wool Room, Chris Tattersall talks about selling wool by delivering a better night's sleep. Chris gives insights on the importance of the trend on health and wellbeing among consumers and how to address consumer's concerns and barriers of wool. He also touches on the business and marketing strategy of the Wool Room and how the industry can help sell more wool in the market of sleep.

About Chris TattersallBorn to one of Lancashire’s cotton textile families it seems slightly ironic for Chris Tattersall to be working in the world of wool but he has worked within the Textile Industry for all his working life. Chris started his career within the Furnishing Fabrics market with Osborne and Little and then moved to the bed market initially as Key Account Manager for one of the UK’s largest bed manufacturers, Relyon, ending up as Managing Director for the last 3 years of his 14 year career there. After a short stint working for Hilding Anders Chris felt he needed to change direction and work in a business where he could influence the end result and indeed the consumer to a greater degree and it was in 2012 that Chris literally “bumped into” Jo Dawson at Heimtextil and the rest is history…. Together they remodelled the Wool Room, formed a working partnership to run the business and have grown the business significantly in the last four years to become one of the leading destinations for Natural, Healthy Sleep with British wool at the heart of their product portfolio.

In this episode CEO Jo Dawson of H. Dawson shares his vision for his own family business as well as the wool industry. Jo talks about the potential wool has in the health and wellbeing sector and how he restructured his own business to seize this opportunity.

 

About Jo Dawson from H. Dawson

Jo Dawson truly has Wool in his DNA and is the 4th generation of the Dawson family to lead H Dawson since it's creation in 1888 by his great grandfather.

Jo has recently bought the company with this father from other family shareholders as part of a life long mission to re-vitalise the world of wool.

A passion for wool is at the core of everything Jo does and is one of the reasons why he is now an active Steering Group member of the ‘Campaign for Wool’ which is being lead by HRH the Prince of Wales. Jo believes that wool is the natural answer to many textile problems, not only due it being the ultimate renewable raw material, but also due to it's inherent flame retardant, health-giving and acoustic properties.

Connect with Jo Dawson here

H. Dawson (http://www.hdawson.co.uk/)

The Wool Room (http://www.thewoolroom.com/)

Axminster Carpets (http://www.axminster-carpets.co.uk/)

HD Wool (http://www.hdwool.com/)

Key Timestamps

[spp-timestamp time="01:48"] About the H. Dawson business

[spp-timestamp time="04:37"] Jo Dawson's background and how he joined the H. Dawson business

[spp-timestamp time="06:54"] The different income streams of the H. Dawson business

[spp-timestamp time="08:57"] How to implement change within a business

[spp-timestamp time="10:23"] About the importance of communicating

[spp-timestamp time="11:00"] The importance for the wool industry to unite in industry organisations

[spp-timestamp time="12:37"] About the Campaign for Wool event at Dumfries House

[spp-timestamp time="13:46"] The wool industry has many great stories to tell about its eco credentials and high animal welfare standards

[spp-timestamp time="15:11"] Farmers see themselves as custodians of the land

[spp-timestamp time="16:04"] The impact of Brexit on the H. Dawson business

[spp-timestamp time="17:55"] About the importance of wool in the human health and wellbeing industry

[spp-timestamp time="19:58"] A strong focus on innovation, communication and provenance is essential

[spp-timestamp time="21:22"] Importance of engaging and collaborating with industry organisations

[spp-timestamp time="22:22"] Connect with Jo and the H. Dawson businesses