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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF WOOL

IWTO is the international body representing the interests of the world's wool-textile trade and industry. IWTO membership covers woolgrowers, traders, primary processors, spinners, weavers, garment makers and retailers of wool and allied fibres in its member-countries, as well as all kind of organizations related to wool products and the wool business in general.

IWTO offers you a perfect network and world wide platform for business contacts in the following sectors:

Apparel

Technical Textiles

Interior Textiles

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79th IWTO Congress Paris / Rambouillet

The 79^th Congress of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) ended on a very positive note for the future of wool. The event took place from May 3 – 5, 2010 in Paris. Under the theme "Wool – Change to a Healthier and Safer Environment", prominent speakers made the event a valuable experience, presenting a broad spectrum on the current developments of the global wool industry.

Environmental issues

The Congress under the topic “Wool – Change to a Healthier and Safer Environment” attracted some 300 delegates from 23 countries around the world. A broad range of prominent speakers made the Congress a valuable experience, showing a broad spectrum on the current developments of the various stages of the wool industry.
The Congress has impressively shown through a number of IWTO run projects and other initiatives that wool as material for apparel, interior textiles and technical textiles is having a remarkable renaissance as the preferred choice for many applications, traditional ones and new ones, especially through its many natural attributes and ecological benefits.

Wool for buildings

Highlights were the extraordinary possibilities and variations for creative and innovative applications with wool, which were quoted during the Round Table Discussion with internationally renowned architects who recently attended the IWTO Architects Workshop in New Zealand, namely Louis Becker (Henning Larsen Architects A/S, Copenhagen, DK) and Heinz Richardson (Jestico Whiles Architects, London, GB). The session was led by Dietmar Danner, CEO and Editor-in-chief of the AIT-Architects Magazine.

Animal welfare in the foreground

The unique ambience and high level in animal welfare within the wool industry was highlighted by speakers at the “Animal Welfare & Environment Session”. Andrea Gavinelli from the EU Commission “Animal Welfare Unit”, Daniela Battaglia from the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Michael C. Appleby, Chief Scientific Adviser from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), referred to the very positive efforts of the wool industry in regard to animal welfare. They agreed to cooperate in future to assure best practices within the world wide wool industry, ensuring that the welfare of the animals is the focal point of attention.

IWTO President re-elected

At the Congress Assembly, Günther Beier has been re-elected for another term as IWTO President. As new IWTO Vice President, Peter Ackroyd (GB) was elected, replacing Osman Kilic (Turkey) whose term ended at the Congress.

Please click here for the detailed follow up of the Congress.

Top Architects Focus on Wool

IWTO has initiated a new education project for wool in the interior textiles sector. The project was held in New Zealand, hosting a five-day seminar with eleven of the world’s top architects in Christchurch. The architects talked about using wool and getting a hands-on feel for wool from inside the farm gate through to the finished product. This event aimed at renewing interest and understanding by architects in using wool in both domestic and commercial buildings and covered carpets, bedding and other interior textile uses. The benefits of using wool rather than synthetic fibres, especially for its luxury, health and safety attributes as well as fire resistance is a major theme of the seminar. The focus this seminar can bring to the wool industry will have long term benefits that should increase the demand of wool in the Interior Textiles Sector.

These architects are amongst the most influential in the world and changing the way they specify the finishes, particularly in large buildings such as hotels and office blocks is important to encourage a wider use of wool.

Participants came from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Spain, The Netherlands and USA. The following architects and designers are participating in the workshop:

Iris Wex, O-D-I sprl international, Brussels

Louis Becker, Henning Larsen Architects A/S, Copenhagen

Lars Vejen, schmidt hammer lassen design, Aarhus

Carlo Weber, Auer und Weber Assoziierte, Stuttgart

Wolfram Putz, Graft Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH, Berlin

Jan Kleihues, Kleihues + Kleihues, Berlin

Takaharu Tezuka, Tezuka Architects, Tokyo

Manuel Bailo Esteve, bailo+rull ADD + ARQUITECTURA, Barcelona

Gerhard Pfeiler, Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes, Paris

Branimir Medic, de Architecten Cie, Amsterdam

Giorgio Borruso, GIORGIO BORRUSO DESIGN, Marina Del Rey

Heinz Richardson, Jestico Whiles Architects, London

The rest of the architectural profession takes note of what these people do and the follow-on effect to other architects is expected to be both real and significant.

International cooperation partner from the architecture and interior design side for the project is ‘AIT – Architecture – Interior – Technical Solutions’, the leading European magazine for architecture and interior design.

The project is executed jointly by IWTO, AIT and the New Zealand Wool Industry

This new initiative is financed jointly by the New Zealand Wool Industry and other IWTO members.
Related files:
Slideshow presentation of the participating architects

New IWTO Education Brochure released:
“WOOL – for Interior Textiles”

Creating another basic tool for education and lobbying, IWTO has just released a new brochure called “Wool – for Interior Textiles”. The brochure is highlighting in a summarizing way, the benefits of using wool for various applications in regard to interior textiles. The brochure will be used for distribution to designers, architects, retailers, universities, schools, as well as to companies of the supply chain of the textiles industry.

Click here to see the brochure. For printed versions please contact the IWTO head office.

Launch of: The Campaign for Wool

During the American Carpet and Flooring Show “SURFACES” which was held at Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) from February 2nd to 5th, 2010, The Campaign for Wool was officially launched.

The Campaign for Wool is supported by the British Wool Marketing Board, the New Zealand Wool Industry and AWI. The Campaign naturally has the full endorsement of IWTO. Details of both the interior and apparel parts the Campaign will be available in early course.

Blue Book Updated

An updated version of the IWTO Blue Book has been issued, which includes changes approved at the last annual congress in Frankfurt, Germany.

To order a copy of the Blue Book please use the order form located here.

For IWTO Members the Blue Book is available for free to download in the Members Only section.

IWTO Market Information 2009 Available

We are pleased to announce the release of the new edition of the annual IWTO Publication “IWTO Market Information 2009”.

This year’s report, prepared by Poimena Analysis and Delta Consultants, contains a wealth of statistics and charts on the supply and trade in wool and wool products.

If you require a printed version of the “IWTO Market Information Edition 2009”, please contact the IWTO head office.

Please click here to see the content index.

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Discover Natural Fibres Initiative

As a follow up to the UN's 'International Year of Natural Fibres 2009' the 'Discover Natural Fibres Initiative' was founded as an ongoing project. To find out more please click here

The 4 Pillars of IWTO