In this episode, wool specialist Roy Kettlewell explains the different wool finishing processes, relevant wool product tests and shares his insights about why wool succeeds in the sports, casual and baby wear markets.

About Roy Kettlewell

Roy started his career 43 years ago in his birthplace of Yorkshire, UK,  working for the International Wool Secretariat, and then The Woolmark Company specialising in chemical finishing and developing innovative technologies and processes such as the Mercerised Merino for the wool fibre.  For the last eight years he has been based in Sydney Australia working for Australian Wool Innovation as Global Innovations Manager and since July 2016 as an independent consultant with Kettlewell Consulting.

Over the last four decades he has worked with entire wool processing pipeline from the raw fibre to garment making; in Europe, USA, China, India to implement the new technologies and deliver a point of difference for the industry. At the same time he has collaborated with global retailers and manufacturers to help, through training key staff, to communicate the benefits of merino wool innovations to the consumer.  The key to successful innovation is to make sure it meets a market need and enhances value in the eyes of the customer.

Connect with Roy Kettlewell here

Website: Kettlewell Consulting

 

3 Finishing processing stages Roy talked about

• Preparation
• Wet Processing
• Dry Processing

 

Important product tests Roy mentioned in this episode

• Fibre content
• Colour fastness
• Damage or stability
• Garment performance during wear life