| If You Think You Know American Wool, Think Again By JUDY MALONE Sheep Industry News Writer (August 1, 2006) “I learned more about wool in two days than I had in the previous 40 years.” This comment synthesizes the feelings of those who participated in the 2006 Wool Education Conference entitled, “If you think you know American wool…Think again.” Procurement officials from four branches of the U.S. military along with personnel from the Natick Soldier Center came together in Bozeman, Mont., the last week of June to participate in a conference designed to demonstrate the processes entailed in bringing wool from “farm-to-fabric.” “This is a new experience for me. I have been involved in the textile industry most of my life but seeing and understanding wool from the producer side of the business gives me a new appreciation for the quality of U.S. wools as well as the challenges involved in getting wool from the farm to the mills,” states another participant. After a military announcement prohibiting some soldiers from wearing polyester and nylon clothing because it melts and fuses to the skin when exposed to extreme heat and flames, the American Wool Council, a division of the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), developed the program to provide in-depth education and communication regarding American wool for those military offices charged with clothing research and development. The wool industry has changed significantly over the last few years in all areas – from fiber production through to fabric finishing. Keeping the military decision makers abreast of the new technology and new products is crucial for the continued protection of our soldiers. With this in mind, an agenda encompassing the following goals was outlined for the meetings, discussions and briefings during the two-day conference: It was expressed to the participants that for the U.S. wool industry to be able to provide to the U.S. military the type of product they will need to meet specific specifications, the industry must have access to this information prior to shearing. Wool preparation, sorting and packaging preferences can be tailored at the time of shearing to provide raw wool that will meet their desired qualifications. The military response was that they know what they want. They want a light-weight, high-performance wool garment that can be worn next to the skin with performance being the most important aspect of the fabric. Having a clear awareness of what actions are required at the producer level to provide this product left them with a high level of confidence that the American wool industry is capable of producing the products they need. It was through these discussions that the attendees now know the capabilities of the wool industry and the wool industry has a clearer understanding of the needs of the military. “The U.S. military continues to be an important consumer of American wool in that it purchases up to one-quarter of the American wool clip annually,” comments Rita Kourlis Samuelson, director of wool marketing for ASI. “Developing and supplying new wool-based products that protect American soldiers is a primary goal of the wool industry.” With recent advancements in textiles, the Wool Council has been proactive in developing high-tech wool products that offer both protection and comfort to our military personnel – washable wool underwear that meets military needs, durable socks that wick away moisture and new fire-retardant fabrics for protective clothing. “If called upon by the military, the wool industry will respond. I think this is one of the most important mindsets the military personnel took away from this gathering,” comments Mitch Driggers, military procurement consultant for ASI. ASI worked with the University of Montana’s Wool Lab and Rodney Kott, Ph.D., for the classroom segment of the conference. Dialogue included a demonstration of the objective measurement equipment used with wool, a display of fleeces in a range of different microns for participants to compare, the performance of American wool in the international market and a review of the project currently being developed and tested. Following the classroom segment, participants were transported to a working ranch to see how each of these concepts is implemented on a day-to-day basis by the wool producer. The Helles (Joe and Aggie, John and Karen and Tom and Vicki), Montana sheep producers, opened their family operation to show the impact nutrition and grazing have on wool quality and provided a driving tour of a portion of their operation. Concluding the event, attendees were treated to a shearing demonstration that included the steps of wool classing and sorting. “The purpose of this event was to provide an opportunity for officials from various branches of the military to gain a better understanding of the multiple steps involved in bringing wool from the farm all the way to the completed fabric. I think the event was very successful and one that had an impact on attendees,” concludes John Helle. |
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