RAYON VERSUS WOOL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 98, 9 April 1934, Page 11

RAYON VERSUS WOOL

Latter Maintains Position QUESTION OF PRICE ASPECT The effects of artificial silk as a competitor with wool are debatable. For decorative purposes in woollen fabrics, artificial silk has been helpful in rendering materials more attractive, but in many other directions goods made from the fibre have successfully competed with woollen products. In the hosiery trade wool has definitely lost consumption to it. The rise in wool, particularly last January’s strong spurt, has drawn attention to the price of wool, cotton, and artificial silk, or rayon. The “Textile Mercury and Argus,” Bradford, recently published indices of wool, cotton, and rayon yarn ptiei s, the period 1926 to 1928 being taken as 100. The figures nre as follow:—

It is evident that wool complete!}' outpaced its competing fibres in price in January, and that fact was no doubt one of the causes of the fall in value of it since experienced, says the “Sydney Morning Herald.” At the same time, the increased consumption of the sheep’s staple at improved rates in 1933, while rayon prices were lower than a year before, suggests that wool can maintain its popularity though it may cost more than its competitor. The gap. however, cannot be too great. A large nart of the world’s population is compelled by circumstances to watch its pence. A woollen fabric at a considerably higher price than a rayon article mav be the more profitable purchase. but if its cost is beyond the purse of the would-be buyer, the appeal of the woollen material can be of no avail.

Wool. Cotton. Ravon. 1926-1928 .. 100 100 100 1929 85 98.8 81.6 1930 65.1 73.4 63.1 1931 56.6 56.2 51.3 1932 54.3 57 51 1933 61.8 58.5 48.6 1934 (Jan.) 81.8 62.4 44.9