A charitable organisation promoting the use of wool is expanding its reach into tertiary and early childhood education sectors.
Ryan Cosgrove, the chair of the Campaign for Wool NZ, told a NZ Wool Classers Association professional development day at Mosgiel that the move builds on the success of the Wool in Schools programme.
He told about 90 people that the aim is to get the message about the attributes of wool to decision makers and influencers, hence the move to target tertiary students involved in architecture and construction with an eight-week programme.
Campaign for Wool NZ is also looking at tailoring the wool message for early childhood education.
Cosgrove said the Wool in Schools programme, in which two converted containers decked out with information about wool travel to primary and intermediate schools across both islands, is designed to educate pupils.
They then go home and ask questions about the use of synthetic fibres in their homes, informing their parents of the merits of wool.
Cosgrove said the campaign has helped nearly 7000 primary school students have wool floorings and coverings installed in their schools and more than two million New Zealand consumers have seen the campaign’s advertising.
He said a comparison of international surveys between 2021 and 2023 reveals increasing numbers of consumers are increasingly choosing natural over synthetic products.
“We measured consumers and found that, empirically, the decisions consumers are making are changing, which is positive for wool.
“This study is telling us where to look and where to invest.”
The campaign has joined forces with Wool Impact with the aim of having joint communications and engagement with stakeholders and developing a collective NZ story to provide information and support the promotion of NZ wool.
Cosgrove said he is working with government ministers to encourage the greater use of wool products in public buildings.
Responding to a question, he said the issue last year when a school chose synthetic floor coverings over wool was due to an issue with procurement policy.
He said wool absorbs moisture but then releases it as the fibre breathes, but this was seen as a negative by procurement policies instead of the functional attribute that it is.
“We had to go back and educate those decision makers so they understand the attributes of wool.”
