The Merino Company (TMC), which provides vertically integrated fibre solutions for retail and brand partners globally, has jumped a step ahead, from being a wool supplier to manufacture and market custom-made wool clothing.
TMC has set up a Christchurch, New Zealand based manufacturing division; TMC Apparels, which will develop and produce flatbed and circular knit Merino wool garments.
TMC which was set up five years ago had promised to set up a full wool supply chain to Australian wool growers. TMC had increased its wool pool by 30 percent year on year in 2009, with 800 wool growers lining up at its doors.
Ms Phoebe Croyle, Marketing Manager, TMC, who is connected to the launch of the apparel division said, “TMC would provide its customers with a complete wool supply chain solution, meaning from 'farm to store'.”
TMC Apparels also plans to furnish to a range of demands, like technical base-layers for the outdoor market to Merino garments for the fashion industry. It will also take care to ensure, quality is maintained from source to shop.
The biggest benefit that TMC Apparels will provide is that it will cut down; drastically the time lag that a bale of wool takes from the time a sheep is sheared to the store shelf, which is now between 18-21 months.