Description:

New Zealand’s wool market has been in serious decline since the 1960s. In the ’60s wool made up 40% of the total export revenue of the country (Gregory). The introduction of synthetic fibres has made a huge impact on New Zealand sheep farmers. Merino wool has been successfully marketed but only makes up 12% of the New Zealand flock. The remaining 88% of wool is Strong Wool which has been largely replaced by synthetics. Farmers have tried stockpiling in hope of a better market and in later years been forced to burn the strong wool as demand has been so low. It costs $4.50 per kg to shear a sheep and farmers are only getting $1 per kg in return for the strong wool fleece (Stuff NZ). The last remaining market for strong wool has been the carpet industry but even this has been severely impacted by the imported synthetic fibres. New products and innovations need to be created to encourage the use of such an important and undervalued material.

How can the value of New Zealand's strong wool be elevated through surface pattern design? I have designed a textile interiors collection with an emphasis on upholstery, cushions and curtains. Through the use of native New Zealand flora and fauna imagery, this collection promotes and celebrates wool as a natural, readily available resource.

Wool has advantages over synthetics because it is a protein fibre. It is fire-resistant, with an ignition temperature a lot higher than synthetics like polyester. Wool is naturally self-extinguishing once the original source of the fire has been removed. This makes it ideal for use in interior fabrics, or on upholstery because it significantly reduces the impact of a house fire.

Wool also has great insulating and moisture regulation properties. It is able to trap warm air within the fibres and holds heat and keeps its surroundings warmer. Wool is also able to absorb up to 35% of its own weight in water, significantly reducing the appearance of condensation in a room (NZ Wool).

Wool is naturally biodegradable. Using 100% natural wool fabric provides the consumer with a compostable end-of-life product, unlike non-compostable textiles sent to landfill.
Synthetic fibres are imported for various stages of production making traceability difficult. How it was made? What were the employment conditions? Were there toxic chemical processes involved? New Zealand wool provides a traceable process giving the consumer peace of mind that their product is sustainably and ethically made.