WOOL v. SILK.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10739, 9 November 1928, Page 2

WOOL v. SILK.

COMPETITION NOT FELT.

MORE WOOL WANTED

Tlie Agent-General for Queensland Mr. J. Hiixham. a.s. the London representative of an important woolproducing State, has Leon studying the artificial silk industry in Great Britain, and finds that so far it lias not had any appreciable effect on the demand for the higher grades.

About 20 companies, with an aggregate authorised capital of between £60,000.000 and £70,000.000 are competing in the manufacture of artificial silk and silk fabrics in Great Britain'. In America eight companies aro similarly, engaged and their financial resources are probably quite equal to France, Germany, and Italians also turning out various classes of artificial silk on a large scale. •Some authorities in the textile industry, Mr. Huxham states, have been urging that Australian interests should give serious consideration to the competition of artificial silk, and its hearing upon the relative economic values of merino and crossbred' wools. WOOL CONSUMPTION.

The result of his own inquiries indicates that in • practically' every country except the United States the demand at present is for more, rather than less, wool for manufacturing purposes. The fight for trade in artificial sil' lias become yery keen in Britain and Continental countries, .and according to reports in some of the English newspapers a question has arisen as tp how far the competition can he carried without-, making production unprofitable. Incessant striving to put novelty fabrics on the market is keeping up output costs, ■ • Referring to this aspect of the industry,- a correspondent of “The Times’ Trade Supplement” ' gives a bewildering list of the new “lines” now being, marketed- by the British companies. ■ Ai’tificial silk warp sateens are being made in large quantities, chiefly with an acetate warp, and some makers are also developing the all-artificial •• silk voile cloths. f These artificial silk voiles will, he on ’the market in the near future in considerable quantities and in new designs.' Velvets, tire recognised as naving a -foremost place.-in the fashion programme for coming months." NEW EXPERIMENTS WITH SILK ; Crepes are now printed with designs which were formerly used onlv on woollen fabrics,; while the latter are rapidly evolving designs much more complicated than formerly, though Vat present holding " largely to geometrical patterns. Printing on the back of artificial, silk velvets, the pile of which does not take the colour, produces a distinctive novelty. Stiff satin with an. artificial silk surface of High .lustreassumes importance for tlio trade.' A few lines of dress materials include') novelties of- woof and silk, with, touches of artificial silk for’ lustrous contrast. (A, -V ' tV One or two hew cloths made from staple fibre -are .beginning to sell in moderate quantities, and more manii'-i lecturers are experimenting in ...this ■ : class. -Staple fibre.,,-,,18 used fairlv; freely for, blending with, worsted;..in? small percentages.- and many 'of..thej mottled effects now being produced? in cloth , are obtain, from . mixtures., of wool or ‘worsted.and staple fibre. The spun- sillc trade is also using the fibre, "in favji ■ quantities, and many* Lancashire and Yorkshire manufacturers are .experimenting and finding out new uses., • -. V ’