Interviews
Tumbarumba produces world's finest bale of wool - AWN
08 May '09
2 min read
Its official, Australian Wool Network has sold the world's finest ever bale of wool. Measuring an astonishing 11.5 microns the 96kg bale of wool was sold for an undisclosed amount to Italian luxury goods company Loro Piana of Quarona, Italy.
The record breaking bale was also announced as the winner of the World Wool Record Challenge Cup – an annual contest initiated by Loro Piana challenging Australian and New Zealand wool producers to produce wools of an increasingly superior quality and fineness.
The bale, produced by the Australian Highlander Ultrafine Farm from Tumbarumba, NSW, a wool growing group consisting of Garry and Kay Wilson, Barry and Kristiane Walker and Gavin and Janice Walker, is well versed on the skill and dedication required to produce the world's finest wool - having achieved the result on seven other occasions.
Mark Hedley, Southern NSW Regional Manager for Australian Wool Network (AWN) said that presenting and selling a bale of wool of such quality and fineness relied on the relationship and communication between the wool grower and the wool processor.
“Loro Piana is the biggest purchaser of the world's finest wools; they set extremely high standards, insist on quality and expect certain specifications are met. Our job is to ensure that wool growers understand what these requirements are - effectively bringing the wool grower and wool processor closer together” said Mark.
AWN sells in excess of 200,000 bales of wool each year and has sold the world's finest bales on seven other occasions but according to Mark this record bale is likely to remain for some time.
“11.5 microns is very, very fine and is a reflection of the dedication and commitment by the Highlander group to growing ultrafine wool.”
The record winning bale will eventually result in just 50 exclusive suit lengths for men and women.
However, in Challenge Cup tradition Loro Piana stipulates that a bale of even finer wool must be acquired before the current record bale can be processed.
The record breaking bale was also announced as the winner of the World Wool Record Challenge Cup – an annual contest initiated by Loro Piana challenging Australian and New Zealand wool producers to produce wools of an increasingly superior quality and fineness.
The bale, produced by the Australian Highlander Ultrafine Farm from Tumbarumba, NSW, a wool growing group consisting of Garry and Kay Wilson, Barry and Kristiane Walker and Gavin and Janice Walker, is well versed on the skill and dedication required to produce the world's finest wool - having achieved the result on seven other occasions.
Mark Hedley, Southern NSW Regional Manager for Australian Wool Network (AWN) said that presenting and selling a bale of wool of such quality and fineness relied on the relationship and communication between the wool grower and the wool processor.
“Loro Piana is the biggest purchaser of the world's finest wools; they set extremely high standards, insist on quality and expect certain specifications are met. Our job is to ensure that wool growers understand what these requirements are - effectively bringing the wool grower and wool processor closer together” said Mark.
AWN sells in excess of 200,000 bales of wool each year and has sold the world's finest bales on seven other occasions but according to Mark this record bale is likely to remain for some time.
“11.5 microns is very, very fine and is a reflection of the dedication and commitment by the Highlander group to growing ultrafine wool.”
The record winning bale will eventually result in just 50 exclusive suit lengths for men and women.
However, in Challenge Cup tradition Loro Piana stipulates that a bale of even finer wool must be acquired before the current record bale can be processed.
Australian Wool Network
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