Australian Wool Innovation continues its development work underpinning the science behind its message on the wellbeing characteristics of wool, with a particular focus on the mother and baby market. Charlotte Rogers speaks to Dr Paul Swan about the latest research and what is next on the agenda.
The science behind the marketing can, in many cases, be just as important as the message itself. As consumers become increasingly interested in healthy lifestyles, they are looking behind the label for tangible proof they can believe the claims being made.
With this in mind, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has made substantial investment in research and development, educating consumers about the health and wellbeing attributes of Merino wool.
One such project has seen AWI working with the University of Sydney to update the science of sleep, using the latest measurement technology to test the benefits of wool bedding. The students analysed wool bedding and sleepwear across three temperature zones – tropical 29°C, neutral 22°C and cold 17°C. In cold conditions, sleep efficiency under wool reached 92.3%, with the total sleep time in tropical conditions 448 minutes compared with just 426 minutes when sleeping under synthetics. AWI is very excited by the results.
“Sleeping on a wool underlay gives a better sleep. Infants grow faster and are more settled on wool underlay,” explains Dr Paul Swan, group manager of market intelligence and trade reporting at AWI.
“Results show sleeping under wool creates greater sleep efficiency, it takes less time to fall asleep and the sleeper is more settled. We now want to carry out parallel research on sleep and behaviour with children.”
Tying in this sleep science, AWI sees huge potential for wool in the mother and baby sector. Short sleep duration is linked to a risk of depression amongst pregnant women, whilst the hormones secreted during sleep are critical for healing and growth.
The Merino.com website has a whole section dedicated to wool for babies, identified by the Pink Woolmark. The site details the attributes of Merino wool as a soft and smooth fibre, which is naturally breathable and an efficient temperature regulator.
On the website, AWI also shares the results of published scientific studies linking wool to better sleep. One analysis, first published in the Lancet medical journal, reports that the rate of weight gain in underweight newborns is 61% higher when sleeping on wool than cotton.
A second study measuring sleep outcomes for jaundiced newborns, found babies spent 14% less time making major movements, whilst only 30% cried during the night versus 67% sleeping on cotton. The science helps to create a compelling argument.
Merino.com lists 31 stockists worldwide selling Merino baby and maternity wear, as well as bedding and blankets. Many are brand partners, including retailer Les Enphants whom AWI worked with in China last year, selling wool products out of 30 outlets in high end department stores in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou.
Scientific research was crucial for targeting the Chinese market, where AWI had to overcome the common misconception that wool is an allergen that irritates newborn skin. To do so, focus groups were set up with pregnant mums to show the modern Merino product. They were given fine Merino bedding to try for six weeks and asked to give feedback. Prior to this, much of their experience of wool had been chunky outerwear.
“Most of the trialists could not believe that it was wool – they washed it and it didn’t shrink,” says Swan. “They found it felt like cashmere but was more durable. We want consumers to have the ‘wow’ experience when they get home with their wool product, thereby building demand for wool worldwide.”
The medical sector is also an area of focus for AWI R&D. The organisation has recently been working on a new project with the Queensland Institute of Dermatology to evaluate the benefits of superfine wool as a base layer for next to skin wear. The study looked at suffers of atopic dermatitis, which is estimated to affect 1 in 12 babies in the UK during the first two years of their lives.
The participants had in many cases suffered from the chronic condition for 20-30 years, typically using topical creams and steroids as treatment. They were prone to dry skin and infection.
After wearing very fine wool on the affected areas, the patients found the condition clearing up. Swan explains: “Wool acts as a buffer, a moisture management system to prevent skin drying out and the rash itching, whilst inhibiting bacteria.”
He argues that when communicating the benefits of wool, tangibility is crucial. One recent development to help convey this message is the wool comfortmeter, a machine designed to accurately predict the comfort levels of garments.
First established in 2007, the wool comfortmeter is a result of joint development by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC), AWI, CSIRO (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA), Deakin University and the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA). The Australian government has invested AUS$35 million in the project, with AWI contributing AUS$2.5 million to date.
Likely to be commercialised soon following wearer trials, the wool comfortmeter is intended to improve the marketability of woollen garments, giving retailers the ability to guarantee comfort levels.
“The comfortmeter is a low cost, quality assurance tool. It helps partners take their product to the world or even just a particular market to find retailers,” says Swan.
“Growers need to be reassured that what we are doing is in their interests. They need assurance to continue to invest in wool, to see the long term viability. Shareholders can see the tangible benefits of our work. This is especially important when consumption takes place overseas.
“We need to communicate the long term strategy for a strong foundation in new markets, such as the infants market. The message is wool is a fibre for life.”
The wool comfortmeter is likely to prove a useful tool in the urban and streetwear category, a recent focus for AWI. Swan sees big potential for this new consumer market, which has its own set of key brands AWI will need to work with to get wool on the shelves. Current partners include Snowgum (travel and adventure wear), Devold (all weather wear) and Mover (wool and Gore-Tex skiwear).
“The mediums you utilise have to change as the consumer does – how they hunt for information and the product, how they communicate, for example the importance of blogging,” notes Swan.
“We are so interconnected that now power has moved into the hands of the consumers, so we need to change the model. The market for urban and streetwear is vast. They have their own brand heroes. This is a non traditional market for us and it will be a challenge to take on this exciting area.”
AWI is also heavily involved in R&D work that proves the environmental credentials of wool, with particular reference to Lifecycle Analysis (LCA).
Stephen Weidemann of FSA Consulting Australia has been collaborating with AWI on analysis of nine different worldwide LCAs. Previously wool was rated poorly on a fibre rating tool produced by the Sustainable Action Coalition, based on an analysis of economic allocation or price.
Weidemann’s on-farm research looked at the effect of substituting economic allocation (price) for system expansion, which takes into account the dual purpose of the sheep as fleece and meat. When this method is employed, the carbon dioxide created per kg of greasy wool fell by 70-78%. Consistent with the methodology ISO finds most appropriate, AWI is keen for independent assessments to test the new hypothesis.
“We need to develop complete standards and guidelines,” stresses Swan. “Retailers want data and methodology needs to be consistent. We are using science to actively stimulate an argument in LCA. Stephen’s work is fundamentally important to credibly inform about wool’s true eco costs and the environmental credentials of wool.”
From the mother and baby market to the medical sector, performance wool for streetwear and the fibre’s environmental impact, AWI remains committed to using science as the basis to help bring wool to new consumers.