Good consumer demand for luxury apparel is likely to sustain price levels for luxury fibres in the near term.
Research on the luxury market in the US published in January by Unity Marketing shows that luxury consumers' confidence and spending declined at the close of the fourth quarter 2006, but sales of luxury apparel were not affected.
During January, the largest price gains for fine and superfine wool were for recorded 19 micron descriptions. In US$ terms, prices for 19 micron wool rose to their highest level in 10 years. 19 micron wool prices were pushed higher by price rises in the medium merino categories and stable supplies.
Alpaca prices were also high in historical terms in January (in US$ terms).
Prices for goat hair have been relatively stable since October 2005.
Chinese cashmere and mohair prices remained positive. Demand for cashmere from the world's largest fibre producer seems unaffected by the reintroduction of EU quota in 2005 for cashmere sweaters.
Australian Wool Innovation
20240830145952.gif)
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "UBM China (Shanghai)")
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
