WOOL OUTLOOK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1944, Page 4

WOOL OUTLOOK

SYNTHETIC FIBRES

SITUATION SURVEYED

' (From a Yorkshire Correspondent.) What importance is to *be attached to the many reports of remarkable expansion in world output of synthetic textile fibres, and what is their real threat to wool? These questions must often occur to New Zealand wool growers, who will wish to avoid being either unduly alarmist or unduly compladent in their mental approach to this matter, and a view from the wool textile manufacturing area of Britain may be of interest. The general opinion here is that neither wool-producing nor wool-con-suming-countries can be indifferent to the advances in synthetic fibre production, that these fibres are calculated to offer stern competition in the days ahead, but confidence is expressed that wool should be able to maintain its proud position among clothing fibres, especially if the industry is animated by a spirit of initiative and enterprise and a determination to keep pace with its competitors in . such matters as scientific and market research. It seems probable that the war is partly, if not largely, responsible for some of the outstanding developments in synthetic fibres. Before the war, something like 70 per cent, of the world's output of rayon and staple fibre took place in Japan, Germany, and Italy, the first-mentioned claiming 30 per cent., Germany 25 per cent,, and Italy 15 per cent., whilst Britain and the U.S.A. together accounted for only 20 per cent. In the light of events, however, it is admissible that this concentration of effort in the Axis countries was not completely a normal development but one of forced, economics. In other words there is ground for the assumption that the first-mentioned countries were preparing for the day when the world's wool supplies were likely to be denied to them, and they were seeking self-sufficiency by developing locally available alternatives to a commodity which they must normally import. Since the war started, Germany claims to have doubled her production of synthetic fibres and there can be no doubt that this has been necessary because of the completeness with which she has been denied access to world wool. There is reason to be lieve that she has largely stripped the occupied countries of any wool supplies they may have had when war started, and, even so, the British Miniu 7^- Econo*nic Warfare announces -hat the clothing, of captured German prisoners—who would be likely to nave the best available—suggests a desperate shortage of wool in enemy and enemy-occupied territories These points are mentioned to indicate that the development of synthetic fibre production in Continental Europe during the war and immediately preceding years has been a matter of necessity rather than choice—with no counterpart in the countries enjoying access to wool—and one important question is as to how far Continental usage of non-wool textiles may be expected to continue after the war. DEMAND MAY BE THERE. It would be unduly pessimistic for wool interests to assume that the wartime headway of synthetic fibres in Continental Europe represents ground permanently lost to wool. On the conli aJ7' heve is surely reason to hope that when, once again, the people of the Continent enjoy access to the worlds wool, their appreciation of it will be the greater because of the enforced abstinence of recent years. Thai at least, is the view of- the wool textile industry in Britain, although it is recognised that much will depend on Continental ability to buy wool after tne stage of free relief may have passed. Wool is not the cheapest clothing fibr&-nor is it fibre—nor is it appropriate that it should be in view of its superior qualities—but whilst poverty might be expected to increase tne call for certain non-wool fibres there is encouragement for the view thaj any reasonably well-to-do conditions among the people would promote a healthy demand for wool bo far as the important British h!,v? eL^ S conccrn.ed synthetic fibres nave had no wartime opportunity of o? S ngT?Slr P.°e tion at the cx P^nse of wool. It must be remembered that the rationing of wool for civilian clothing purposes m Britain is but part of an elaborately planned interaS economy of war, in which the production St. i! 3?, an +^ acju + red goods for civilian use js curtailed to a minimum, partly as an anti-inflation measure and par y so that every unit of labour, productive resource, transport, etc., thereby dcST dcS bS transfei' red to the direct . If, therefore, wool textile manufac--Ihetf, Sr had bf n.*able to obSfn S ynthings has been permitted. WBmFi mMmm -ach on ra^theTomStitlT^ 0 not <*>*>*■ to meet mrt S • they wil' have the°rice fector 'woo?0^" that, on terests to demonstrii *{ *?£ wOOI '"■ qualities of theshee^ su M™r well wor t h a prtl il o hS. Pll make « competing fib™, ™*er than most far?h and well direcfid SfS 1-*? c re" two important aids to tJa Pt"d lty are