The Stocklists 2011 Wool Week feature

from The Stocklists

August 2011 53

The Campaign for Wool - a showcase of quality

Wool Week Gallery 2011 Wool takes on a ‘modern’ theme for this year’s Wool Week – the showcase event of the UK Campaign for Wool.

A major exhibition of Wool, titled Wool Modern, takes place in London for much of the month of September at La Galleria on Pall Mall, and sets the agenda for a promotional opportunity across the retail flooring sector.

UK retailers are being encouraged to create their own “gallery” of the best in wool carpets by featuring natural fibre in window displays, point of sale and promotional campaigns during September.

“The whole UK industry has a lot to promote with some stunning stripes and florals on offer and many fabulous twist products in some very current colours,” says Ian Hartley, CEO of the British Wool Marketing Board.

“This is very much a multi-faceted promotion and all levels of the wool industry from growing to processing to making and selling will stand to benefit,” he added, Branding display items for retailers are available from the Campaign for Wool to give a coordinated feel to this focus on wool – contact marketing@britishwool.org.uk for more information.

The London La Galleria exhibition will showcase the best of design in wool in fashion, carpets and insulation, and aims to include work by many of the world’s top fashion designers, and carpets by some of the great manufacturers. It will include wools from around the world, and is intended to inspire and educate.

The Campaign for Wool is a cross-industry initiative convened by HRH The Prince of Wales in January 2010. The Prince believes the natural, sustainable origin and highly technical structure of wool can offer fashion, interiors and the built environment many superior benefits.

Many of the leading design and textile colleges have already booked to bring classes of students to Wool Modern, which will, of course, also be open to the general public.

Wool celebrations during September also include London Fashion Week and Decorex, the leading interiors event in Chelsea which runs from September 25 to 28 at the Royal Hospital. A stunning wool showcase was presented at the Grand Designs Live London event in April this year with the word ‘wool’ carpeted in a 10m x 3m 3dimensional display.

WOOL WEEK Workshop - see page 58 The key benefit points to trade consumers up to quality wool carpets

Princetown - Picasso by Axminster

Castle Hedingham by Crown Floors

Redefining contemporary pattern carpets, the 100% pure new wool Picasso features the signature Princetown berber fleck combined with an oversized pindot motif making the carpet perfect for modern homes, balancing contemporary structured influences with the soft edge of natural tonal variations. The Axminster woven carpet is available in eight natural colourways, is rated suitable for Heavy Domestic Use and comes in 3', 12' and 15' widths. Picasso joins the Princetown collection along with two other new designs in Matisse and Mondrian.

Castle Hedingham is made from 80% British Wool for a wool-rich twist carpet with a beautiful berber fleck in a range of 12 stunning natural shades. Woolmark Blend Interiors certified and with a 15 year wear guarantee, the carpet offers the perfect blend of quality and value.

T 01297 630650 www.axminstercarpets.co.uk

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Available in both four and five-metre widths, Castle Hedingham is perfect for living areas, bedrooms and hallways and stairs.

T 0800 0773301 www.crownfloors.co.uk

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The Campaign for Wool - a showcase of quality

Boulevard by Adam Carpets ‘Boulevard’, a beautiful, wool rich, contemporary patterned carpet, has an 80% wool/20% nylon construction, which gives it strength and keeps it looking better for longer.

It is available in 4 metre and 5 metre width, meaning less need for seams on those wide rooms.

‘Boulevard’ is available in 14 colours and we mean colours.

Whilst it offers the very popular naturals tones, it also has some very vibrant shades to complement the ever growing demand for more strong colours.

T 01562 829966 www.adamcarpets.com

ASK ABOUT CAMPAIGN POS Many manufacturers are supporting the Campaign For Wool with Point-of-Sale displays so ask your rep or sales contact if they have material for you.

And you can email British Wool for a POS pack which includes a triangle stand, leaflets, a showcard and poster: marketing@britishwool.org.uk

Grange Wilton in Lowry by Ulster Carpets Grange Wilton is a new luxuriously dense, high twist woven wilton range from Ulster Carpets. Available in 24 colourways this range is constructed from tightly woven 80% wool and 20% nylon, plain and heather yarns.

Available in 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m and 1m colour matching widths, colourways include warm mineral tones, greys, beiges, green and reds - all inspired by a timeless ‘heritage’ palette. Grange Wilton effortlessly creates warmth and practical luxury in any interior scheme.

T 028 3833 4433 www.ulstercarpets.com

from The Stocklists

August 2011 55

The Campaign for Wool - a showcase of quality

Country Classic/2 from Heuga

Lupo from Cavalier Carpets

A traditional look and luxury feel, Country Classic/2 works perfectly anywhere. Made from 100% natural wool with 63% from New Zealand for extra comfort and 37% from the Highlands of Scotland for greater durability.

Meet Lupo, a geometric design that gives that sophisticated ‘Brussels Weave’ look and offers superb value for money.

This loop pile collection is available in 8 contemporary colours, in tiles sized 50 x 50cm. Complementary colours also available in cut pile. Country Classic/2 is a climate neutral flooring collection.

T 01675 433070

Made using 100% 3 ply New Zealand Wool Yarn which gives this carpet superb resilience and is available in 4m & 5m widths and 6 natural colourways T 01254 268000 www.cavaliercarpets.co.uk

www.heuga.com

Oasis by Lano Beautifully crafted from 100% pure New Zealand wool, Oasis features a three-ply yarn that provides exceptional durability and pinpoint definition. The carpet captures 12 brand new colours in a luxurious berber loop pile that enhances the natural appearance of wool. Rated suitable for Medium Domestic Use, Oasis is part of Lano Carpets' stunning Ultimo collection of high-end residential carpeting.

T 00800 5266 5266 www.lano.com Wool Week celebrated by Chelsea Harbour Design Centre last year.

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The Campaign for Wool - a showcase of quality

Chelsea from Edel Telenzo

Pastimes - Red Jacobean from Bondworth

Edel Telenzo Carpets will once again be supporting Wool Week and working with retailers to promote quality wool carpets such as Chelsea, which is currently working wonders for many customers. An elegant low level loop, made from 100% 3 ply wool in eight irresistible, natural colours of the moment – sea salt, driftwood, ash, graphite, cream, sand, mud and cork – Chelsea is also fully Scotchgarded and accredited for being insect and rot proof; and light, wet and shampoo fast.

Pastimes reflects a return to our creative design heritage combined with the flexibility of patterned spool axminster.

Not a carpet for the faint of heart but flooring with which to make a statement!

T 01422 374417 www.edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk

Woven from 80% pure new wool and 20% Nylon, available in 3.66 wide, sumptuous details, complimentary colours all display the very best of the carpet designers’ art.

T 01562 745 000 www.bondworth.co.uk

Dotty in Damson from Alternative Flooring Quirky is a new range of British-made wool runners and carpets. An on-trend range packed with pattern and full of colour. The four designs, Dotty, Fling, Tess and Skinny are fashionable and graphic. Colours eccentric and elegant.

Quirky is made in the original way on looms in narrow widths, which is perfect for runners or can be seamed together for rugs and broadloom carpet.

Composition: 80% wool and 20% nylon. Width: 69cm wide.

T 01264 335111 www.alternativeflooring.com

from The Stocklists

Sheep in the City – Exmoor Horns on Savile Row during Wool Week 2010

August 2011 57

The Wool Workshop - selling benefits Wool carpets are close to the heart of the UK consumer but with prices rising and increasing competition from synthetic fibres, wool has to work a little harder to justify premium pricing. Here’s our ‘Wool Workshop’ - a selling aid to help to trade consumers up to premium products by selling the benefits of natural fibre.

SAFE

PRACTICAL Strong and Resilient – Wool carpet will provide superior performance over many years as it can offer unique resilience and long lasting durability. The natural crimp of wool offers valuable ‘bounce-back’ so that pile compression is resisted and the effects of tracking and shading are reduced – maintaining good appearance over many years.

Easy care – Wool is a natural fibre that has an inbuilt resistance to soiling due to its natural oils and its outer surface of microscopic scales and as a result additional anti-soil treatments are not necessary. Simply vacuuming the carpet will keep it looking good and whilst wool initially repels spills, prompt and complete blotting with white paper towels or an absorbent cloth is advised and will address many household spillages.

COMFORT Soft and Warm – Wool carpet adds luxurious underfoot comfort and warmth to the home and acts as an insulator improving heat retention and energy efficiency.

Peace and Quiet – Wool carpet absorbs sound and cushions the home against echo and room to room noise transfer.

DURABLE

SAFETY Fire Retardant – Wool is naturally fire resistant, has a slow ignition rate and tests show that it is self extinguishing within seconds. It meets many safety regulations without additional treatments and is favoured in contract locations for this reason.

Fall Friendly – Carpet cushions and so provides a softer floor which protects against serious injury in falls by the very young or the elderly.

INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Indoor Environment – As a natural ‘smart’ fibre with a complex physical and chemical structure, wool helps to create a balanced atmosphere in the home. It breathes and absorbs humidity in the air, releasing it when the atmosphere becomes dry and helps improve air quality by absorbing airborne toxins in indoor air.

Anti–allergy – The minute scales on the fibre’s surface will hold fine dust until vacuumed which helps to reduce floating particulate in the atmosphere. Wool does not give off harmful emissions or promote the growth of bacteria and wool is not a food source for dust mites.

EASY-CARE

ECO/ENVIRONMENTAL Natural and Sustainable – Grown on sheep, which graze freely, wool is both 100% natural and fully sustainable. As shearing is a necessary part of animal husbandry this means that every year there is a fresh supply of wool available for the carpet manufacturing industry.

Energy Efficient – Wool is energy efficient in the home and also in carpet production.

Biodegradable – Wool fibre is biodegradable in soil and will produce nitrogen, sulphur, carbon dioxide and water which are all plant nutrients.

Environmentally Assessed – Wool is an environmentally responsible fibre that has been measured in terms of its ecological impact. A Life Cycle Analysis study carried out by Leeds University to ISO 14040 standard for British Wool concludes that it compares favourably when measured against man-made fibres.

THE BEST CARPET WOOL

COMFORT

Wool carpets have a historic reputation for quality because as a fibre it is known to withstand pressure and have excellent appearance retention properties. The best wool for carpet production is ‘strong’ wool and this is grown on sheep breeds found in Britain and New Zealand. Most carpets will contain both British Wool and New Zealand Wool because British Wool is more bulky and resilient and offers texture and unique heathery shades to carpet, whilst New Zealand wool is softer and whiter and particularly good for plain, lighter shaded ranges. Combining the two within a blend for carpet yarn gives manufacturers the perfect qualities for carpet.

100% wool or 80/20 – 80/10/10 wool rich Wool has yet to be matched by any man-made fibre; it has superior strength and does not need other fibres to improve its performance. However manufacturers choose to use synthetic fibres within the yarn blend for a number of reasons. These include fibre flexibility, dyeing, heat setting, stain resistance, durability and cost. These wool rich compositions offer industry standard carpets which will perform well in the home.

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