"WOOL IS ADAPTABLE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 7, 8 July 1931, Page 6

"WOOL IS ADAPTABLE

EVIDENCE ON THE COUNTER

The essence of business success in those1 latter days of competition and ceaseless change is adaptability- Is the 'woollen manufacturer adapting himself to modern tastes? Inquiries in retailing circles result in an affirmative answer to that question. By way of evidence, tho fabrics themselves were produced for tho inquirer's information. ,

"You would hardly think it was wool," said the displayer of fabrics. "Woollen cloth, as it used to bo mado up for dress materials, was thick, heavy, lustreless. Now we have beautiful, light sheeny garments like this, and it is all wool." . . To tho male eye, tho impressive thing was tho lightness and fine appearauee of this English-made georgette, such lightness and finish as must suroly appeal to tho daintiest feminine taste. As to 'wear, its ■ capacity, as wool, to bciit all competing weights of non-wool material could not bo doubted. (And in these, times wear counts, even among the ladies.) Tho next fabric shown was a light weight fleck tweed—and New Zealand made!—representing New Zealand wool in .alliance with artificial silk, which gives finish. Tweeds like this, and others: similar, advertiso brilliantly the capabilities of New Zealand woollen mills, and the potentialities of artificial silk an an ally to wool, helping wool to win back the feminine taste.

Others displayed included Continental Nvoollen fabrics, ticautiful and light and designed to woo woman. It was observed thaf since this subject was last discussed in the "Evening Post" about twelve months ago, the British -woollen manufacturer and the New Zealand woollen manufacturer had both further demonstrated their adaptability to the newer (and changeful) demands of taste and fashion. In the intervening twelve months their Avork in the' direction of fitting tho woollen tr^do to meet the new competition and new conditions had demonstrably improved. But in somo respects the versatility and progress!veuess of woollen manufacturers in Germany, Italy, and France was.still ahead of those in Britain. The main thing, however, was that British manufacturers had definitely left the old ruts," and their new spirit, and traditional skill, reflected cleverly in New Zealand, would be a factor fighting for reinstatement of wool in popular demand. A point that was emphasised by. the tlisplayer was that tho current fashion for light tweods helped the woollen

manufacturer, because in these he could show his versatility to advantage. Light tweeds were being made the medium for many beautiful designs and colourings aiid finishes. Tho use of artificial silk as an ally of wool was also emphasised. lv. hosiery, the woollen manufacturer has obvious •Hmeulties in meeting feminine tastes, yet in this groat field there was much ground that he could win back, especially in the province of winter wi>ar. The fashion for knitting had also helped wool, in creating a very active demand for knitting wools. Any competent woman could thus do a great deal to meet tho times. Of course, even the low prices of raw wool would bring tlicir ultimate reward. They wouicl be reflected in prices that would improve tho competitive position of woollen goods. "In 1927-28," it was stated, "wool averaged over 16jS<l per lb at local sales, yet hi 1930-31 similar wool averaged only slightly over s:fd per lb, a difference of 10id per lb between the two abovomentioned years." Thus tho producing end was contributing more than its quota (financially) to ultimate selling power in the woollen trade, arid if the producing and processing end could improvo quality of fibre in anything like the proportion that wool had lost in price, price-recovery would soon attend the wider utilisation that scientific production and manufacture must command. In the meantime, it was agreed that the duty of both retailer and buyer was to promote the sale of woollens, so as to strengthen the New Zealand farmer and (wherever possible) the New Zealand manufacturer.