Mr Smith, general manager of Devold New Zealand, said companies blending poorer styles and shorter wools to hit a price point were giving the fibre a bad name.
If there was a reason consumers were not reaching for woollen products, it was not just dollars and cents, but quality issues and brands needed to take ownership, he said.
If the right wool could be sourced, with the right money paid, then garments could be produced that consumers had a great experience with.
It was about getting everyone to understand that but there was a big deficit of people who did not know about sheep and wool.
Everyone involved with the wool needed to be part of the conversation, from the growers through to the shearers, they were all part of it, he said.
Devold was investing in the next generation of wool growers through its Sheep to Shop education programme, which was designed to enhance collaboration with wool growers and ensure excellence at all stages.
The free year-long programme provided in-depth training for farm owners, managers, their families and farm staff.
Strong demand had been seen across Devold’s wool growing regions of Marlborough, Canterbury, Mackenzie/Waitaki, and Central Otago.
Four modules would be delivered and workshops covered breeding, genetics, nutrition, quality and climate adaptation.
Future modules would expand on wool clip preparation, garment specifications, wool science and processing techniques, and hopefully feature a livestream to Devold’s factory in Lithuania.
Already, feedback had been "magnificent", Mr Smith said.
Two outstanding programme participants, aged 40 or under, would be selected to visit Europe and follow their wool’s journey through Devold’s vertically integrated supply chain.
