Office Bearers 2011/12
President	Geoff Fysh
Delegates	Geoff Fysh
Reserve Delegates	Roland Ritson

July 2011

PASSION FOR SUPERFINE WOOL BY EMERGING DESIGNERS

By Geoff Fysh

 

Enthusiasm to see a greater uptake of Western Australian superfine wool has seen an evolving project by members of the Western Australian Superfine Woolgrowers Association (WASWA).

 

Lecturers from the Curtin University School of Design and Art Fashion, along with researchers from the Design for Comfort (DfC) research laboratory (Ag. Dept.) were invited to talks with WASWA to establish a collaboration between superfine woolgrowers, designers and scientists.

 

It has been called ‘A Touch of Superfine’ and reflects the softness and luxury associated with superfine Merino.

 

Essentially, it required a collection of donated fleeces from WASWA members to make up a bale that could be processed in Italy, returned as yarn and fabric, be used by emerging designers in Western Australia, and ultimately end up on the catwalk at the 2010 Perth Fashion Festival.

 

112kg of 15.5 micron wool (yield 69%, SL 83mm, 38N) was scoured and made into top by Pettinatura di Verrone, and spun into yarn by Filatura Lama, plus a small amount taken through to fabric by Tessuti & Tessuti.

 

Funding was provided by DfC as it also gave the laboratory valuable material for their ongoing next-to-skin research projects.

 

The nine designers who were given access to the superfine Merino product had never worked with material of such high quality and all spoke very enthusiastically, particularly about its softness, drape and appeal.

 

Anne Farren, Head of the Curtin School of Design and Art Fashion, said, “The experience for young designers to work with superfine wool was invaluable as it gave them a full appreciation of the softness and beautiful drape that can only be achieved with yarn and fabric of this quality.”

 

“Now it has been demonstrated that new designers can appreciate the enhanced properties and aesthetics of garments using superfine Merino, it’s important that it receives further extension, particularly with marketing,” she said.

 

Unfortunately, in 2011 just as the next WASWA bale was being put together, government austerity measures closed the DfC and withdrew funding. At this stage WASWA is attempting to find other sources of funding to allow this very successful project to proceed.