Retailers, brands, designers and media representing China's fast growing and innovative textile industry have travelled to experience the Australian wool industry first hand.
Hosted by Australian Wool Innovation, the group is travelling across the country from west to east to meet the people, animals and landscape that define the iconic Australian industry.
We have been introduced to the benefits of wool having worked with AWI in China. We are now eager to put the natural messages and images of wool at the front of our marketing material and incorporate the fibre as a core pillar of our brand, said Madame Shawna Tao, Marketing Director of the ICICLE brand.
With a growing domestic demand for quality apparel, innovative Chinese brands are using the versatility of Australian Merino wool for the first time across their ranges of babywear, sportswear, fashion and knitwear. The tour includes representatives from companies such as JNBY, Croquis, Schiesser, EP, Kroceus, Les Enphant and ICICLE with over 3500 collective retail outlets.
This is an example of leveraged marketing activity. It is a great opportunity for our Chinese partners to gain inspiration from where the fibre begins its journey, to see the science, knowledge and passion involved in growing Australian wool, AWI acting regional manager Asia Sam Guthrie said.
Those on the tour are reporting live to China via the QQ instant messaging site. It is the most popular free instant messaging computer program in mainland China and forms part of a vast online campaign that will be driven through the promotional channels of each brand partner. The itinerary includes the Perth Royal Show, fashion parades, wool properties in WA and NSW and a demonstration of the wool comfort meter from the Sheep CRC.
The tour follows a separate visit by the Chinese Business Network last week who filmed part of a nine week series focusing on why to dress with style is to dress with wool. This Woolmark Gold series has been commissioned by AWI in partnership with high tier European partners to be broadcast across television, radio, online and print media to a business audience of 66 million viewers within China.
