SYNTHETIC FIBRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1938, Page 11

SYNTHETIC FIBRE

PRODUCTION IN BRITAIN “EXACTLY LIKE WOOL” Too much importance cannot be attached to the announcement that the great British rayon firm has successfully produced a synthetic fibre with dying and other characteristics “exactly like wool.” There is nothing exactly like wool and nothing likely to be, but Germany and Italy, under pressure of circumstances, have already produced, and have compelled the use of, certain substitutes for natural wool. It may be that in course of time all food and clothing material will come from the factory instead of the farm; but every pound of substitute „ that replaces a pound of wool is a matter for serious consideration in Australia and New Zealand and every other wool-growing country. Gross returns from wool vary every year, according to the supply and demand, but the proceeds of Australian and New Zealand wool sales over the past four years were roughly £50,000,000 per annum for Australia and £lO,000,000 per annum for New Zealand. These figures take no account of wool sold privately or of wool shipped on growers’ account for sale overseas. Any material reduction in this revenue of £60,000,000 per annum from wool alone distributed in countries with a combined population of 8,000,000 could not but be felt by Australia and New Zealand generally, and especially by the wool grower, who is primarly concerned. Cotton and silk were not considered as formidable rivals of wool, but the wool grower, whether he realises it or not, is now interested in rayon and its rapid production from 1,350,0001 b in 1896 to 1,309,000,0001 b in 1936. Also to be noted is the increase in production of staple fibre from 54,355,0001 b in 1934 to 264,150,0001 b in 1936, staple fibre being used to mix with- wool as to 50 per cent, in the production of a fabric requiring an expert to say that such fabric is not “all wool.”