Marketing SRS® wools to luxury retailers
Superior quality and ethical practice
... sustaining the product we send to the world markets starts at farm-gate.
Wool fibre quality, the care and welfare of livestock, ethical farming practice and the external chain-of-custody certification, underpin both the growing and supply of the SRS® brand of alpaca wool.
Huacaya alpacas in a pristine environment: photo courtesy of Halcyon Alpacas, Australia
Animal health, farm health, human health - and documented protocols for ethical and environmental outcomes - are central to our product and supply chain commitment.
Finest quality
SRS® alpaca wool comes in different natural colours including white, black, fawn, brown and grey. Photos courtesy of Shanbrooke Alpacas & Halcyon Alpacas, Australia
SRS® fibre is simply the best quality fleece available to the market.
It is naturally comfortable for wearing against the skin and is lustrous and luxurious. Itochu Wool Limited (Japan) described SRS® wool fabrics as feeling like cashmere, with excellent drape, a natural ability to stretch, less creasing and a rich appearance after dyeing.
Worsted fabric for women's wear made from Suri alpaca fleece: photo courtesy of Julienne Gelber, Bumble Hill Alpacas, Australia.
SRS® fibre-based designs have won the Australian DesignMark Award and product is held in the Art Institute of Chicago permanent collection. Presentations of apparel have been made to the Crown Princes Victoria of Sweden and the Danish Royals.
Chain of custody
SRS® markets wool exclusively through e-wool® using the NewMerino® certification system and processing chain of custody. This approach provides brands and retailers with access to Australian wool - with high quality integrity, special attributes and trace-back to supplying SRS® farms. SRS® believes supply-cycle factors are also of increasing importance to the purchasing decisions of customers and consumers.
First ethical agreement
In Australia's first-ever ethical wool supply agreement for the furnishings industry, The SRS® Company Pty Ltd has signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with INSTYLE Contract Textiles to provide non-mulesed Merino wool, to be released by INSTYLE under the brand of EthEco to the furnishing industry around the globe.
SRS® breeding qualities
Suri woold being spun (left) and woven. Note the exceptional lustre and softness of the fibre: photo courtesy of Julienne Gelber, Bumble Hill Alpacas, Australia.
SRS® Alpacas are bred for no guard hair and high levels of fibre density and fibre length. They produce high quality wool with improved processing efficiencies and end product qualities.
Farm to factory: holistic commitment
We are committed to a documented audit process for ethical and environmental outcomes. From paddock to manufacturer, sustainable practice and the NewMerino® certification system provide confidence in terms of
- Animal health: eg:low stress, ease of handling
- Farm health: eg: ethical management practice, regenerative agriculture
- Human health: eg: low/no chemicals use. natural fibre, lasting comfort
Testimonial
Major wool customers are taking a keen interest in "the story behind the label" and the environmental conditions in which wool product is grown. Michael Fitzsimons, Managing Director of INSTYLE, in anouncing the SRS®/INSTYLE agreement said "Holistic farming strategies such as rotational stock movements, integrated pest management, enhancing ecosystems, improving soil health and biodeiversity, increasing natural groundcover and optimising water cycles all lead to healthier, happier animals, improved environment and farmlands and more profitable operation long-term."
SRS® position
We are committed to the following objectives:
- the continuous development & improvement of high value, exclusive wool product
- a progressive program of legitimate animal welfare assurance
- regenerative and progressive farm management practices
- the protection of supply-chain management protocols via NewMerino®
- the design, implementation & monitoring of ram breeding programs to ensure predicted outcomes are realised (external audit certification)
- continued education of and assistance to committed SRS® wool growers and and the improvement of grower returns
- fostering relationships with wool customers for whom SRS® product atrributes provide an exclusive market offer and which command a market premium
- the pursuit of creative, effective customer relationships which create demand for SRS® product
Thank you for your interest in SRS® wool. We invite further enquiry and are happy to arrange customer inspection of SRS® farms. Enquire here.
We promote and develop premium markets for wool produced by SRS® growers.
LATEST NEWS UPDATES
Merry Christmas and a happy 2012
Date Article Listed: 24/12/11
As the year draws to a close we would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful 2012. Although there are plenty of challenges ahead the baling weekend indicated that really positive gains are been made in the fleece area.
Thank you to everyone who attended workshops, assisted with displays, helped with baling and who contributed to the success of the year. May this time be a time for family and friends and a time to relax. Have a safe and happy break.
Fleece Baling Weekend
Date Article Listed: 24/11/11
Over the last weekend 19th & 20th of November a number of us met at Frank and Julienne Gelber's property at Orange to class and bale fleeces for the Primaries wool auction in December. Although it took a long time for those present it was an excellent learning experience and one all subscribers should try and be part of in the future. Some of the fleeces were very well prepared while others required further skirting. Thanks to those subscribers who contributed to the collection. In total over 700kgs of fleeces was classed and a number of bales of 110kgs were pressed and branded ready for sale. Some are still waiting to have enough fleece to make the necessary weight.
Many thanks to the Gelbers for their hospitality, to Jim Watts who classed every fleece and to Stuart Marshall, Richard Brennan, Julienne Gelber and David Mitchell for sorting , skirting, pressing and branding the bales. Go to the photo gallery for some pics of the days. By the time we finished all were exhausted but more informed by the experience. We wait to hear how the fleeces test and how they sell on the open wool market.
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