Big future for wool

Press, 25 October 1980, Page 12

Big future for wool

NZPA correspondent London Wool has a bright future in the 1980 s and be.und on the American retail market, according to t prominent American retailer. “The great trend towards natural fibres will continue,” an American retail' Mr A. Cohen, told a conference of International Wool Secretariat knitwear marketing staff here.

"It is considerably strengthened by the attitudes developed by the

products of the postWorld War II oaby boom,” he .id.

This fastest growing segme t of the market is now in the 25 to 40 agegri up. They grew up ~ith the insistence for things that were na ural in their food, in their religious expression. their environmental concerns, and in their apparel. Mr Cohen, a principal in a 86-rtr- Winkelman’s women’s fashion store chain in the mid-west

states of Michigan. Illinois, and Ohio, told the conference that dis-

cussions \Ch his company’- senior staff and United States manufacturers howed the future f wool, particularly knitear, s extremely favourable. “With over 50 per cent of t’ : female population now in .lie work-force, the trend toward: wool and wool knits is becoming stro. .- every day,” he said. ’ Today’s working woman expect- here clothes to last longer. She needs clothes to look good all day long. This is ne reason why knits continue to grow." _

Winkelman's, with headquarters in Detroit, sells more than 200,000 pure new wool sweaters and 50,000 wool and woolblend c ts a year. About 80 per cent of the chain's volume of sales is in read y-to-wear dresses, suits, coats, and sportswear with a high per-.-entage of wool usage.

In the 1979-80 year. New Zeala I exported 2.1 million kilograms of wool in actur.l weight to the United States. 18 per cent more than in the previous vear.