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The Campaign for Wool New Zealand (CFWNZ), a charitable trust tasked with advancing the education and promotion of New Zealand wool, has made a series of key appointments and launched an ambitious three-year strategy.

The strategy, available for download from today, outlines how the CFWNZ will narrow its focus to three primary strategic pillars, ensuring that New Zealand wool – in particular, strong wool – is better understood both here and abroad as a fully sustainable, natural, high performance super fibre.

Alongside the launch of the strategy, the trust has appointed dynamic wool industry leader Ryan Cosgrove as its new chair and created two pivotal executive roles. From December 1st, CFWNZ’s chair of three years, Tom O’Sullivan, moves into the role of General Manager – Advocacy and strategic consultant Kara Biggs takes on General Manager – Strategy.

Incoming chair Ryan Cosgrove says the CFWNZ Strategy 2023-2025 is instrumental in clarifying the trust’s vision as it moves into a new phase of growth, establishing New Zealand wool as a premium product across the globe and shifting buying preferences. “We exist to support our fantastic wool producers and achieve the best possible outcomes for them in terms of strong wool promotion and price,” says Ryan “But just as important, we’re focused on ensuring conscientious, climate-minded consumers have access to, and information about, sustainable products they can not only wear, but build and furnish their homes with.”

Three core strategic pillars, therefore, encompass strong wool education, promotion and advocacy. Wool in Schools, an initiative that has seen more than 25,000 primary aged children learn about the myriad benefits and uses of wool, will be revamped and reinvigorated through the use of digital technology. “We also plan to improve our offering and bring it into secondary and tertiary settings,” Ryan says. “There is already so much innovation in the wool space, including major technical advancements in the application of wool. Excellence in wool education will be key to its growth as the fibre of choice for future generations.”

A new digital partner portal will be developed to give CFWNZ’s brand partners across the supply chain, from wool producers to the manufacturers of woollen products, the resources they need to tell their stories well.

Wool promotion is set to focus more keenly on the benefits of wool in housing and architecture, with CFWNZ committed to developing better ways for those at the coalface to specify woollen products in the buildings and infrastructure they create. “Our builders, architects, designers and developers are in a position to really move the dial when it comes to wool use,” says Ryan. “But their ability to choose wool ahead of synthetic products remains a challenge. We’ll support them with the development of a toolkit that will allow them to specify wool flooring, panelling and insulation at the click of a mouse.”

Finally, CFWNZ will advocate for New Zealand wool globally, working hard with its brand partners, growers, industry and international counterparts to develop a stronger and more cohesive market. It also aims to advocate locally, specifically targeting government. “If government buildings and housing projects were developed using wool, our government could take a huge step forward in its goal of reaching Carbon Zero, supporting our community of committed strong wool growers at the same time.”

Ryan says he is thrilled to be launching CFWNZ’s three-year strategy and excited to be taking on his new role as chair following Tom’s successful tenure. “Tom has been a huge asset to the Campaign, and it’s fantastic that now, we retain his considerable knowledge, passion and networking skills as General Manager – Advocacy,” Ryan says. “He’ll be fully focused on supporting and enabling our wool market, while Kara Biggs, as General Manager – Strategy, who has driven and authored our strategy, directs her decades of strategic and branding expertise into driving our promotional programmes and strengthening our education pillar.

“These are big years ahead, but these changes bring real depth to the Campaign for Wool team. We’re now in the best possible position to achieve our vision, accelerating our support of the strong wool sector with a focused three-year strategy and a skilled and widely experienced team in place to deliver it.”

To view the Campaign for Wool New Zealand Three-Year Strategy document, go to https://www.nzwool.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CFW_3YearStrategy_Nov22_Final.pdf

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