A women's role has changed tremendously over the last few decades and is making a great impact in today’s society. Women are becoming stronger. They are wealthier, more confident, more powerful, and are celebrating their femininity. This in turn, is influencing business, consumption and politics, and redefining men’s roles in society.

Key drivers:

• More empowered women: highly educated, higher incomes and higher employment rates
• Career women and entrepreneurial mums: postponing marriage and childbirth while furthering career, working and motherhood combined
• Women as head of households: Bridget Jones - single generation Xers, divorced, widowed or single mothers main purchase decision makers
• Greater connectivity: word of mouth has greater influence than ever

Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men. Women's roles have changed at an accelerated rate, and they are now standing tall and playing a major role in many important areas such as politics, professional training, medicine, business and law. Formerly women were not part of any political matter, but have now attained power, and advanced, and are growing in political offices across the globe.

This change is a result of an increasing number of educated and empowered females. They are now concerned with the improvement of their own position. Women are fighting for their rights and are slowly progressing and participating in activities that they were not previously allowed. The women's rights movement is a good example of women fighting for their political, social and economical status.

Men’s financial supremacy is facing a serious challenge

It may often appear that men are in charge, but women are encroaching as there is a seismic economic power shift from men to women:

• By 2025 women in the UK will own 60% of the nation’s wealth, and by 2020 only 47% of the UK’s millionaires will be men
• Women are increasingly the main breadwinner, earning more than their partners in 21% of today’s couples
• In the US women are opening their businesses at a rate that is double that of men
• More women are entering the stock market - they now constitute 47% of all investors, according to the US National Association of Securities Dealers
• Spending power of women is 50% more than it was 20 years ago
• Women buy 68% of new cars and 65% of new tyres in the US. The automotive industry is responding by designing cars by women for women, for example the Volvo concept car.

Men are taking on more traditional female roles and activities, such as cooking, and are concerned about appearance and emotional articulacy, as their functional, physical, intellectual and leadership skills are being questioned.

Changing Households

As households get smaller, and traditional family size is in decline, spending priorities are changing - people have the means and motive to spend more on themselves, their homes and their children.

Key drivers:

• Singles delaying marriage and childbirth, focusing on career
• Married couples both working, staying childless longer
• Large older generation of divorced/widowed
• New fashioned families: step, blended and solo parenting

In many countries from Japan to the USA, UK and Australia, single households are becoming increasingly common. Experts have predicted single people will make up 38% of all households by 2026, up from 18% in 1971.

Lower birth rates have created child-centric families, resulting in highly brand aware kids who are discerning and demanding. Marketers are now targeting parents and grandparents who like to indulge their children.

As baby boomers continue to age and become grandparents, their spending power increases. In the US, grandparents spend $27.5 billion per year on grandkids (the average grandparent spends $500 per year per grandchild) and 72.2% wish they could spend more.

A change in women’s attitude to work and home life has launched, as more and more women begin to feel the stress and exhaustion of playing multiple roles.

The icon for women of the 1950s was the domesticated housewife and mother who cooked, cleaned, and sewed, all while wearing the latest fashions. Fast forward to the media icon for women of the 21st century - the vogue woman of today stands tall and proud in her black Armani suit while possessing the role as career woman, mother, wife, and domestic organiser, all while wearing the latest fashions.

Merino wool plays a role in today’s society

Women are more discerning and more financially powerful than ever, not only taking on multiple roles, but also multiple wardrobe needs. Working women’s wardrobes reflect their numerous roles, bringing opportunities for Merino and Merino blend work garments.

Women today are responding to championing responsible products and causes, and are likely to respond emotionally to marketing of the natural, biodegradable and sustainable qualities of Australian merino wool. There is also the opportunity for ultra-premium Merino offerings as women have greater wealth and confidence.

Merino wool is the perfect solution for today’s consumers who lead busy, hectic lifestyles, such as mothers and working professionals, who don’t have time to hand wash and iron their garments. Modern advances in technology make Australian Merino wool extremely easy to care for. Merino garments are resistant to stains and odours, and need to be washed less frequently than cotton or synthetics - and Merino garments can now be machine washed!