WOOL SUBSTITUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 127, 29 April 1940, Page 7

WOOL SUBSTITUTE

SERIOUS COMPETITION. ■> USE OF STAPLE FIBRE. DISTURBING FIGURES. (United Press Association—By Electric 'Telegraph—Copyright, i Received April 29, 9 a.m. LONDON, April 28. The use of staple fibre as a substitute for avool is growing to such an extent that it is feared it will threaten serious consequences for Australia and New Zealand after the war. The International Wool Secretariat recently provided the trade with most disturbing figures. For instance, the total world production of staple fibre in 1939 equalled the total scoured wool production for the whole of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Argentine, and Uruguay for 1939. The United Kingdom production and the United States’s consumption of staple fibre were both doubled last year. It is certain that the Avar has increased the use of artificial woo) many | times over. Italy, Japan, and Holland have intensified their production of substitutes. Business letters from Sweden snv Germany has now entirely eliminated' avool from fabrics which are supposed to bo seini-wool Avhen ordered by foreign buyers. One big American mill is even producing blankets containing 85 per cent, staple fibre. One of the most disturbing aspects of the. position is the development of artificial wool sales in the United Kingdom, whore powerful combines are pushing its production most energetically. Tailors all over the United Kingdom are being bombarded Avith most attractive samples of suitings containing ns much as 90 per cent, staple fibre. WOOL CONTROL POLICY. It is understood the Wool Control’s policy regarding the issue prices and the release of supplies to neutrals has been clarified to the satisfaction of the Australian and New Zealand representatives. Shipments from Australia and New Zealand are apparently coining at a remarkably high rate. New Zealand House, in a statement, points out that high prices are reported to have been received by South African growers. This can be explained largely by the fact that the South African prices are quoted on a clean, not greasy, basis. “Australian and Now Zealand farmers have fared quite well under the United Kingdom bulk purchase,” it is stated. Decisive steps have been taken to speed up the wool trade with an export drive on an unprecedented scale.