International visitors get friendly in Geelong

GEELONG: Australian based textile manufacturers and wool producers Landmark, Elders and H Dawson were among a host of domestic and international visitors to complete a wool textile training course in Geelong recently.

Staged at the CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology centre, the two-week Australian Wool Textile Training Course aimed to provide participants with an overview of the processes involved in producing and manufacturing wool textiles.

Modules at the course, staged for the second time, included the processes of wool collection and manufcture from the shearing shed to the processing mill and on to garment making and the retail market.

This year the course, established with funding from the International Fibre Centre (IFC), Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and the Australian Wool Education Trust, hosted more than 100 participants from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Indian and the US.

IFC chief Barry White  said the objective of the course was to get the industry involved in learning about the latest technologies and innovations to keep the country's wool internationally competitive.

"We want to get Australian woolgrowers involved in the program so they gain a better understanding of the fibre and its applications," White said.