2007 News

Australian Merino secures new market in Vietnam

26 October 2007

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is pleased to announce a range of major new projects in Vietnam’s booming textile market, aimed at increasing global demand for Australian Merino.

AWI has formed strategic partnerships with a number of leading mills and garment makers to develop new fabrics and active/sportswear using Merino wool and Merino wool blends.

AWI is now proudly working with companies such as Nam Liong - a key manufacturing partner of sports brand giants such as Adidas, Nike and Columbia – to develop circular knitted Merino wool blended fabrics for the sports industry.

Nam Liong has previously focused on synthetic fibre production but will now substantially increase the volume of new Merino wool business over the next five years.

A number of other new Vietnamese partners are working with AWI to provide textiles or garments for major sports brands and clothing companies in the US, EU and Japan.

Established in 2001 by the Australian wool industry, AWI is the world’s leading Merino wool fibre marketing and innovation company.

AWI provides its Vietnamese partners with a range of services including technical assistance, wool yarns for trial production, training, introduction of new designed items, introduction of new buyers and visits to factories to enhance AWI's business strategy in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s textile and garment industry has developed rapidly in recent years and in 2004 employed 2.1 million people or 4.7 percent of total employment.

Buyers from a number of the world’s leading textile and apparel companies source apparel from Vietnam including Express, Hucke, Itochu, JC Penney, Jupitar, Kmart, Kowa, Lee Cooper, Li & Fung, Sara Lee, Sumitomo, Tomen, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria’s Secret, VF Corporation and Wal-Mart.

The Vietnamese government is highly supportive of the textile and garment sector, with strong incentives for foreign investment, and expects that employment and exports in the sector will double by 2010.

AWI’s Global Sports/Active wear manager Mark Brooks says the partnerships have been crucial in increasing opportunities for Merino wool in the global sports textile and attire market.

“Merino wool is rapidly gaining a reputation as the wonder fibre of the sports and performance textile market and these partnerships have enabled us to bring new ideas and training to manufacturers supplying some of the biggest sports companies in the world,” says Mr Brooks.

Other AWI partners in Vietnam include:

  • Thanh Cong Textile and Garment Joint Stock Company: developing knitted fabric and garment items in wool and wool blends for sportwear for US export.

  • Vietnam Wool Joint Stock Company: developing sweaters in wool and wool blends for export to the US and EU.

  • Hapaco Textile and Garment Joint Stock Company: developing knitted fabric and garment items in wool and wool blends for sportwear for export to US.

  • Dong Xuan Knitting Company: developing knitted fabric and garment items in wool and wool blends for sportwear to export to US.

AWI aims to continue its work in Vietnam providing consultancy services to textile and garment companies that will further expand the development of wool and wool blended textiles worldwide.