The New Zealand strong wool sector is set to benefit from exposure to an international television audience of millions.
A German documentary team is in the country this week filming at wool carpet manufacturer Bremworth and is also interviewing wool processing and farming industry representatives in other parts of NZ.
The Association of Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Federal Republic of Germany (ARD) filming the documentary is the largest public broadcasting network in the world.
The documentary will be produced for its flagship Das Erste (The First) channel, which 60% of Germany’s population, about 50 million people, watch every week.
Bremworth chief executive Greg Smith said the producers approached the company having seen details of their move to eliminate 2,500 tonnes annually of synthetic yarn from the production of carpets and replace it with NZ-grown wool.
Smith said Germany is seen as one of the world’s most environmentally conscious countries and Germans’ interest in how NZ is transforming its wool sector to meet growing global demand for natural fibres could help open new export channels in the European Union’s largest population centre.
The 71-year-old Das Erste is seen as Germany’s most credible TV network and the exposure in the eight-minute documentary would be otherwise cost-prohibitive to access.
“A 15-second spot on Das Erste would cost $225,000, meaning the value of this eight-minute documentary to NZ’s wool sector is around $7.2 million.”
NZ’s wool and animal hair fibre product exports to Germany are about $6 million annually.
“This makes it a relatively untapped market for us and presents a significant opportunity within a well-aligned consumer group that is highly focused on sustainable living.”
ARD German Television correspondent Florian Bahrdt said strong wool production is one of the most traditional sectors of the NZ economy.
“We’ve travelled the country from farms to factories to show our German audience the many challenges faced by the industry as it combats competition from synthetic fibres and strives to maintain its agricultural heritage,” Bahrdt said.