Industry says synthetic materials pushed wool out of fibre markets, but consumer demand for sustainability is growing
An opportunity exists to build a larger, higher quality wool production industry in Canada, according to The Campaign For Wool Canada, and the organization has developed a five-year strategic plan to do just that.
“There are definitely challenges but there are huge opportunities in Canadian wool,” said Matthew Rowe, TCFW Canada chief executive officer. “With some investment and encouragement, we think we can build a sustainable wool industry here.”
Rowe highlighted that Canada has in the past had a significant domestic level of wool production with a corresponding infrastructure, but the rise of synthetic materials pushed much of the wool industry out of fibre markets.
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While that continues to be the case, there is a growing demand for sustainability from consumers.
It’s a shift that TCFW’s patron, Prince Charles, recognized and spurred the royal to found the organization more than a decade ago with its Canadian branch being established in 2014.
“I think there is a renaissance in customers rediscovering quality, in really caring for where their clothing is made, how it’s made, what it’s made with,” said Rowe.
He said leadership is needed to tout the qualities, sustainability and benefits of wool for the domestic clothing market and for its use for everything from packaging to home insulation.
“Collectively, there is an industry here,” he said, highlighting that it’s spread sporadically across the country. “There are companies that are still manufacturing here, we use wool in a variety of products but what we have to do as an industry is make it easier for them to use Canadian wool.”
Rowe said TCFW Canada is in talks with the different levels of government regarding how best to develop research and marketing.
For wool mill manager Maddy Purves-Smith, who runs Custom Woolen Mills in Carstairs, Alta., the sustainability of the fibre shouldn’t be underestimated.
Custom Woolen Mills uses only Canadian wool at its production facility, which might seem large in the Canadian context but is small by global standards.
“There aren’t that many processors left in North America. Most of the wool is being exported,” she said. “Then you are dealing with a global commodities market where Canada is not a very big player. So that impacts the price that producers can get for their wool.”
The sheep industry also depends on the lamb meat side of the business, with wool seen as byproduct. Wool can be subject to supply issues based on how the main revenue source ebbs and flows.
But there is potential, added Purves-Smith. Wool’s attributes are a good fit with consumer tastes, which are moving toward sustainable products.
“You don’t have any issues with micro-plastics in the ocean and it’s one of the very few natural fibres that is ready to process directly off the farm,” she said. “In terms of a sustainable textile, it’s got a lot of room — it’s a market that can expand in the future. There is a lot of potential.”
That potential coupled with branding as a quality product from Canada is the message that TCFW wants to promote, said Rowe.
“There is a premium to be had in the market there and we’re not talking about massive quantities of wool compared to the global industry,” said Rowe. “It’s about finding the right mix and diverting some of that 90 percent of our wool that goes to China and is sold at the lowest commodity price.”
Producers could receive higher prices if the organization can better develop domestic markets, he added.
TCFW Canada’s five-year strategic plan cites three primary goals to be completed by 2026: rebrand Canadian wool, advocate for the wool value chain and provide a global voice for products from Canada.
