At the same time, the New Zealand Merino Company was formed to specifically champion merino fibre. Chief executive John Brakenridge and Andy Caughey — now chief executive of Wool Impact — approached Italian company Loro Piana and laid down the challenge of finding a way to use those longer wools in a premium product.
As NZM general manager commercial Keith Ovens recalls, it took much investment, trial and error at the Loro Piana processing plant but, in 1997, Pier Luigi Loro Piana issued the first three-year contract for longer wools (90mm-105mm at 18.8 micron), and at a $2 premium to the spinners market of the day.
The Zealander fabric was subsequently launched to Loro Piana’s prestigious client base around the world. It was one of the first fabrics made from 100% New Zealand wool, at a time when growers had been told by the trade that New Zealand wool was only good enough to be used as a blend with wool from other countries, Mr Ovens said.
More than $40 million worth of New Zealand growers’ long 18.8 micron wool had been bought for the Zealander programme, while more than $120 million of contract transactions had resulted from 14.8, 15.4 and 15.8 micron contracts, at "significant" premiums to the market, including the Gift of Kings 11-12.5 micron contract, he said.
Loro Piana helped pioneer forward long-term contracts and 70% of NZM growers’ wool was now transacted in contracts directly with brands, he said.
The partnership between Loro Piana and NZM was celebrated recently at a function at Rippon Vineyard and Winery at Wanaka, attended by representatives of Loro Piana, including deputy chairman Pier Luigi Loro Piana, chief executive Damien Bertrand and Emanuela Carletti, head of raw wool procurement.
Founded in 1924 by Pietro Loro Piana, the company now has three divisions; textile – producing high quality textiles using noble fibres such as cashmere and baby cashmere, vicuna wool, linen, and merino wool; the fashion luxury goods division – producing and distributing menswear, womenswear, shoes and accessories; and the interior division – producing and distributing interior products.
In his speech, Mr Loro Piana said the gathering, which included growers, celebrated a long period that gave both companies prosperity, adding that working together had given them the strength to do something special
"We want to thank growers for their strong commitment. I’m very pleased that the young generation has followed and they can go ahead because wool and the world of textile, wool particularly, has a brilliant future.
"More and more we listen and we talk about sustainability, we talk about natural fibres, it’s no more now than 25 years ago. So what I would really love is we look at the next 25 years with passion and the willingness of new product element, never stop. Let’s compete against ourselves and we will lead the industry as we have done. It’s the beauty in promoting New Zealand wool in the world," he said.
