Wool Partners International Welcomes Starbucks

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1:00am Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Wool Partners International Welcomes Starbucks To New Zealand Wool

Wool Partners International will supply the wool to be used in the revolutionary new furnishing fabric WoJoTM developed for Starbucks coffeehouses worldwide.

The Wellington based design team The Formary created WoJoTM for Starbucks by combining LaneveTM wool, with its sustainable, ethical and traceable qualities, with jute from recycled coffee sacks, to form the new furnishing fabric.

WoJoTM will be initially used in Starbucks coffeehouses in the UK and Europe as part of a five year programme, with the aspiration of global coverage.

Wool Partners International Chief Executive Officer Iain Abercrombie says the initiative is a further significant step towards delivering New Zealand farmers the true value of the premium quality wool they produce.

“Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. LaneveTM fulfills those criteria in every respect. We are delighted The Formary chose LaneveTM to bring together New Zealand design excellence with one of New Zealand’s premium natural and sustainable products.”

WPI’s subsidiary Wools of New Zealand was instrumental in establishing the supply chain of like minded experts to assist in producing WoJoTM to meet the exacting standards of The Formary and Starbucks.

Wools of New Zealand works with many of the world’s leading interior textile companies around the world providing creative, technical, branding and marketing development expertise particularly for the use of New Zealand strong wools.

“Our Centre for Wool Excellence in England maintains long standing value-creating relationships with designers, spinners, manufacturers and retailers across the interior design industry. This experience and trust uniquely position the Centre to influence fashion trends and provide the technical expertise to develop new product ranges with the leading manufacturers and retailers,” Mr Abercrombie says.

The Centre also recently played a leading role in working with Europe’s largest carpet distributor, Headlam Group, to create a new carpet range using the Wools of New Zealand branded fibre. The contract for 600,000 kilograms of strong wool in the first year is expected to grow to more than 2 million kilograms a year as the relationship develops.

“These are the first of a number of similar agreements WPI expects to complete in the coming months. We are confident that by working with partners in the supply chain these successes can be replicated for the benefit of growers.”

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