NEW USES FOR WOOL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30155, 12 June 1963, Page 12

NEW USES FOR WOOL

Research By I.W.S. Major new uses are to be sought for wool, other than in the traditional clothing and carpet fields, the manag-ing-director of the International Wool Secretariat, Mr W. J. Vines, announced at a recent press conference in London, according to advice received by the Wool Board. “We shall be going into industries like ship-building, the motor industry and housing looking for major uses—in such things as wall coverings (or shall we say wool paper:, insulating materials, and other uses to which wool has never been put before,” he said. “We have set up a section to investigate these outlets.” Research would be carried out in wool research units in the United States, Australia, Britain and Japan, he said.

Sir William Gunn, chairman of the I.W.S, and of the Australian Wool Board, said that this had been an outstanding year for wool. The I.W.S. had expanded its activities remarkably and now had an organisation fully equipped to undertake the responsibilities which the wool-growers of its parent countries Australia, New Zealand and South Africa—expected of it. Very considerable progress had been made in wool research and the I.W.S. had set up an industrial service, with a “flying squad of troubleshooters” available to go into any country to help im its textile problems. The principal demand for this would come from the less-developed countries.

An international wool fashion advisory service described as wool’s “Fashion M. 1.5,” had been started in Paris.