Women's news

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31726, 9 July 1968, Page 3

Women's news

Kitset Rugs (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. American hobbyists will soon be making their own floor rugs from New Zealand wool specially processed and packed at the Awatoto, Napier, factory of U.E.B. Textiles, Ltd. The $50,000 order for rug yarn will be freighted this month to a New York knitting yarn firm which has branched out into the field of kitsets for home rug making. The yarn will arrive in New York ready to go into American shops immediately. This was stipulated in the order. The yam is being fully prepared and wrapped in printed polythene to make a loz pack. Sixteen of these will then go into a specially printed box to complete a one-pound package. Twenty boxes will fill an outer container for air freighting.

Unique Order “The ability to fill a yam order and supply all the associated packaging to make it a complete package deal is thought to be unique,” said Mr Jack Hale, general manager of the firm’s overseas and export division. “I certainly know of no organisation anywhere which can offer this kind of complete package deal as an export service.” Mr Hale added that the order was an instance of the kind of specialisation which was needed to give New Zealand textiles a chance of a foothold on the American market.

“If all goes well with this shipment, we are confident there will be further substantial business offering for the coming winter season in the United States,” he said. The Awatoto mill which filled the order recently moved on to round-the-clock production and is now processing 13 tons of Hawke’s Bav crossbred wool every day.

The mill came into production last year. It covers four acres and has a staff of 160 working three shifts.