The comeback fibre
Wool is leading a natural revolution. As the world wakes up to the environmental toll of plastic pollution, wool is making a comeback, says Campaign for Wool New Zealand GM Kara Biggs.
For centuries, wool has kept us warm. From heirloom sweaters to hard-wearing rugs, it’s a fibre steeped in tradition. Now, in the face of mounting climate challenges and growing demand for sustainable materials, wool is undergoing a reinvention. No longer confined to wardrobes and winter coats, this incredible fibre is offering low-impact solutions for everything from home insulation to soil health and woollen bandages in hospitals.
No one is happier about this than Kara Biggs (pictured), general manager of Campaign for Wool New Zealand (CFWNZ) and right now, Kara is ecstatic.
Finally, the beleaguered wool industry has had a shot in the arm. Last month, the New Zealand government announced mandating the use of woollen fibres in new government builds and renovations (see page 81). It’s a lifeline for an industry that has long struggled against the rise of petrochemical, synthetic alternatives.
“It’s a massive win. It’s really significant,” Kara says. “We don’t know how much it means in dollar values for wool yet but we do know this will increase demand for New Zealand wool products – wool carpets, acoustic panels, insulation, textiles, and more. It’s a game changer. It will shift the dial for New Zealand wool.”
WEAVING A NEW CHAPTER
Raised on a Romney sheep and beef farm in Hawke’s Bay, Kara’s childhood was steeped in the rich textures, smells and rhythms of wool production. Many hours spent in the woodshed during shearing are memories that have shaped her deep-rooted passion for this iconic Kiwi fibre.
Wool is incomparable because it does everything, Kara says. “For decades, synthetics, which are fibres made from petrochemicals, have been trying to copy wool. They’ve had a budget of billions of dollars to do that but at the end of the day, the performance and environmental factors around wool are incomparable. From flame resistance to odour resistance, pollution absorption, sound absorption, moisture wicking… the list goes on. It’s also natural and renewable. It has circularity. At the end of wool’s life, you can bury it, and it will degrade back into the soil.”
“Wool is more than just a product to me – it’s a symbol of New Zealand’s heritage,” says Kara. “The world is waking up to its sustainability credentials, and we’re in the perfect position to lead the charge. We have an incredible opportunity to lead the wool revolution.”
