Bremworth has launched a new initiative to help small and rural schools around New Zealand access wool carpet.
Bremworth has launched a new initiative to help small and rural schools around New Zealand access wool carpet.
A new Government directive to prefer the use of woollen fibres in its buildings has the potential to transform the rural sector, however, it could also open the door to cheap UK imports, according to an industry expert.
Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith said Friday’s coalition announcement was significant but had the potential to benefit sheep farmers from the UK and other countries at the expense of their New Zealand counterparts.
He said greater clarity was needed to understand whether the intent of the move was to support New Zealand’s rural economy, reduce the use of plastic materials in construction, or both.
Smith said the move had the potential to double the price of wool farmed in New Zealand, however, there was a question over where a government-specified product would fit within free trade agreements with other countries.
He said while New Zealand wool was considered ideally suited for carpet production by international manufacturers, the new policy may see volumes of cheaper imported options become available here.
“With climatic conditions that produce less rainfall, New Zealand sheep grow a whiter wool that is easier to colour than the more yellow fibres found in wetter climates such as the UK,” Smith said.
As a result, New Zealand produced a higher quality wool that sold on the open market for around 20 per cent more than British wool, he said.
“If Government procurement policies allowed for imported woollen fibre building products to access this market we would see few real benefits for New Zealand, other than a reduction in the use of plastic.”
Smith said it would be “soul-destroying” for farmers in the sector to see one imported product replaced with another in the construction of publicly owned buildings.
“What we need right now is greater clarity around the parameters of this policy and recognition of the inherent tax benefits to the economy when we support local.”
Smith said the move had the potential to address conflicts in international perceptions of New Zealand’s approach to sustainability.
He said New Zealand-grown wool was prized overseas, however, it had not received the same recognition locally.
“We have an unusual situation where New Zealand wool has been woven into the fabrics used on Air Force One, however, if the US President - or any of the numerous other foreign dignitaries who have flown on that aircraft - were to enter a Government building in this country, they would most likely be walking on imported synthetic carpet.
“When we talk to potential export partners in new markets they are dumbfounded by the fact that our Government does not use our wool in its buildings.
Smith said export partners found the whole concept quite conflicted as New Zealand was known for its sheep production.
“We might want to be known for spaceships and rockets and technology and gaming but that’s just not what we are known for and it’s unlikely we will ever shed that image.”
Smith said despite record low numbers of sheep being farmed there was sufficient wool supply in the market to scale up production to accommodate a surge in demand.
“It is difficult to overstate the potential economic benefits of this move for the sector - this has the potential to be one of the most significant changes in the wool industry since synthetic alternatives were introduced two decades ago.”
At that time, Smith said the market went from 90 per cent wool to 90 per cent synthetic carpet.
Smith said that 10 years ago wool was trading at twice that of what it was today and it was quite possible we could see a return to this pricing.
“This would result in a seismic shift in the farming landscape - no longer loss-making, we would see new entrants come into the market as sheep farming becomes viable again, not just for the sale of meat.
“A movement of this magnitude would have flow-on benefits throughout the economy - from the local vet to the shearer’s crew and everyone in between.”
Smith said thousands of tenants living in New Zealand’s public housing could also benefit from the use of wool in the construction of their homes.
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Greg Smith on The Country below:
“There are around 69,000 state-owned houses in New Zealand, around 3 per cent of the residential housing supply, with thousands more expected to be built over the coming years.”
Potentially every publicly owned house could have a wool carpet flooring and a recycled carpet underlay - at the same time, wool insulation could be used under the floors as well as in the walls and ceilings, Smith said.
In contrast with synthetic textiles used in construction, wool was a natural product that required fewer chemicals and was naturally fire retardant, he said.
“Woollen carpets are also hypoallergenic and regulate humidity by absorbing moisture when the air is moist and releasing it when the air is dry.
“We will now have the opportunity to build state-owned housing that may help create a healthy living environment for some of our most vulnerable.”
Smith said the move was a significant credibility boost for wool and would result in greater investment in research and development and could lead to the production of more sustainable construction materials.
He said the new Government policy would lead to a significant reduction in the amount of plastic waste entering our landfills.
“As the use of wool as a building material grows, we can expect to see more investment in the development of new materials and alternatives to synthetics.
“Examples of these innovations include the use of waste wool in biodegradable weed and mulch mats which release nutrients as they break down.
“In addition to their local use, these new products will also find their way into export markets.”
