$2m ‘superwash’ budget

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32880, 1 April 1972, Page 2

$2m ‘superwash’ budget

fN.Z.P A. Staff Correspondent) LONDON, March 30. The International Wool Secretariat Will spend more than s2m in Britain in the next three years, advertising woollen knitwear which can be machine-washed and spun dry. An I.W.S. director, Mr J. Wilcox, said the mass sale of shrink-proof knitwear could be the most significant step for the wool industry since the introduction of the Woolmark eight yean ago. The I.W.S. will issue a “superwash” Woolmark for garments treated by one of two approved processes, both of which will allow the garments to be washed in machines at up to 40

degrees Celsius, and machine wrung or spun dry. One of the processes was developed by the I.W.S. laboratories in Yorkshire, using earlier work done by Government scientists in Australia. The other process, which can be used less widely, was developed by private industry in Derby. The processes add a resin to the wool, and make it stronger and less liable to abrasion and fluffing. Treated garments are expected to cost about 45c more than untreated garments. Commercial treatment of woollen knitwear with the

shrinkproofing processes has been done in Britain for more than a year, and similar plants have been set up in the United States, Hong Kong, Norway, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The LW.S. has delayed its main advertising campaign, however, until the start of the northern summer. Some 28 companies are now using the processes, and about 2m treated garments will be sold this summer in Britain. The advertising, mostly on television, will be spread over three years. It is hoped that at least 10m treated garments will be sold in that time.