Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) general manager John Roberts says there are other factors affecting consumer interest on a global scale.
He said as the population aged and became more affluent, consumers were looking for higher quality clothing.
He also said casual clothing had become more popular, so there were less suits in wardrobes than there used to be.
And he said that consumers were beginning to prioritise health and sustainability, and wanting to hand over a healthier, greener planet to their children.
“There’s a movement in minimisation, with a move away from fast fashion, and the lure of big brands, to the philosophy of buying once but buying better, and wool plays really well into this idea,” Mr Roberts said.
“It’s really a movement against landfill, which is dominated by the synthetics market and non bio-degradable products that don’t break down, and wool lends itself really well to these sorts of people, so this is going to be a big priority moving forward.”
He said these consumer priorities were well-suited to the wool industry.
“Consumers are moving away from the blind faith they have in a big brand, and more and more they’re looking inside a garment and understanding its supply chain, its origins, and what kind of factory it came from,” he said.