Carper manufacturer Tai Ping to use Laneve accredited wool

16 Dec '09

3 min read

Tai Ping, one of the world's leading carpet manufacturers with a presence in more than 100 countries, has entered into a partnership agreement for use of the Laneve fibre integrity brand.

As a Laneve brand partner, Tai Ping will use Laneve accredited wool in select carpets and rugs sold throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Tai Ping is recognised as the carpet designer and manufacturer of choice for a discerning global clientele. Its collections, which include more than 10,000 designs, grace the floors of high-end residences and palaces, private jets, yachts, hotels, casinos, airports and convention centres around the world. Tai Ping is a public company traded on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Tai Ping is a vertically integrated enterprise, with carding, spinning, dyeing, Axminster, hand-tufteing pass-tufting, Wilton, automotive and carpet tile capabilities. It uses primarily New Zealand wool and plans to use Laneve brand fibre in select Tai Ping and Edward Fields collections. Edward Fields, a luxury company noted for its handmade expertise, was purchase by Tai Ping in 2005.

Laneve is the fibre integrity brand of Wools of New Zealand, a business unit of Wool Partners International. Laneve partnerships commit the brand partners to use New Zealand wool meeting specific standards on farming practice, animal welfare, sustainability, traceability and the environment.

Wools of New Zealand provides a range of services to its brand partners, including market development, branding, creative and technical assistance. It works with more than 100 carpet and rug brand partners in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Wool Partners' Chief Executive Officer, Iain Abercrombie, said the company was delighted to have concluded an agreement with a global pacesetter in carpet design. “The relationship with Tai Ping will be one of the driving forces in raising the profile of the Laneve brand internationally,” he said.

“It builds on the presence already established by Wools of New Zealand internationally, and on Laneve in the United States,where we have so far announced 18 Laneve brand partnerships. We expect to announce a number of European brand partners for Laneve in the near future.

“The Laneve programme is helping to build a broader base of committed purchasers of New Zealand wool. Along with the relationships already in existence for the Wools of New Zealand brand and a range of contracts for other forms of commercial supply, this will increase the overall demand for New Zealand wool and thus help realise the true value of our clip.”

Eric Cooper, Tai Ping's Vice President of Global Technical Operations and Sustainability, said: “New Zealand wool has long been our fibre of choice. Not only does it support our sustainable commitment, it provides the clarity of colour, strength and luxurious lustre our high-end clientele demands.

“As a Wools of NewZealand partner since 1995, it makes perfect sense for us to embrace the use of Laneve. We applaud the enhanced focus on sustainable practices and are pleased to be an inaugural Laneve partner.”

Wool Partners International Limited