NEW Zealand Merino wool growers will get a free ride from Australia's latest promotional venture with the Italian retailer Armani.
But Australian Wool Innovation chief executive Stuart McCullough said the move was "nothing new - they have been getting a free ride for five years".
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Details of AWI's Armani campaign coincide with the announcement by the Italian processor Reda for a supply contract with for 15.5-18 micron superfine fleeces from New Zealand Merino's Zque non-mulesed accredited wool program.
Reda acknowledged it supplied Armani with fabric. Reda, which partly owns the Australian fine-wool exporter New England Wool, has a big commitment in New Zealand where it owns three sheep stations.
Unlike other European processors Reda has been very public in sourcing non-mulesed wool and encouraging traceability and accreditation.
Under a deal with Armani, AWI has already invested $180,000 in a fashion photography shoot and the insertion of an 11-page supplement in the latest edition of Vogue Italia.
The campaign incorporates AWI's "No finer feeling" program and Woolmark logo.
Mr McCullough said further expenditure was likely as the Armani promotions were extended into Vogue editions in France, Britain, Japan, China and Australia.
Mr McCullough said AWI's investments were being leveraged with Armani committing four times AWI's investments in the marketing program.
Armani's focus on wool would be in clothes for both men and women.
The contract also specifies a measurement on sales of wool apparel.
"This contract with such an iconic brand is about as good as it gets," Mr McCullough. Mr McCullough said it was impossible for the contract to specify Australian wool.
"With Australia supplying 90 per cent of the world's Merino apparel wool, there was every chance the wool would be Australian," he said.
"Giorgio Armani has guaranteed they would be using only Australian wool."
Meanwhile, Australia's The Merino Company announced it would participate in New Zealand's Zque program, although the TMC wool would not be included in the Reda contract.
