Natural fibres stronger together
Australian wool and cotton have traditionally told their stories separately. But in a global textile market dominated by synthetic fibres, there is considerable value in speaking with a stronger, collective voice.
That was the thinking behind the inaugural Australian Natural Fibres Forum, jointly hosted by AWI through Woolmark and Cotton Australia in Sydney in April.
The event brought together almost 250 growers, researchers, supply-chain representatives and industry leaders, including representatives from major Australian and international brands such as Adidas, J.Crew, R.M.Williams, Sportscraft, MJ Bale, Alemais, RB Sellars, Cotton On Group and Rodd & Gunn.
For Australian woolgrowers, the significance was not simply the size of the gathering, but who was in the room. Bringing fibre producers together with the businesses making sourcing and product decisions provided an opportunity to discuss the issues increasingly influencing global textile markets – from fibre choice and performance to traceability, transparency and evidence of how fibres are produced.
A central message was that wool and cotton are complementary natural fibres rather than competitors. Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said working together gave both industries a greater opportunity to communicate the benefits of natural fibres to consumers. The forum also provided an opportunity to put Australian growers and their production systems directly into conversations with global brands and retailers.
As sustainability expectations evolve, brands increasingly want to understand not only the fibre they are purchasing, but where it was produced, the farming systems behind it and the evidence supporting environmental and sustainability claims.
“Cotton and wool are not competitors but can work together to highlight the huge advantages of natural fibres for consumers.”
AWI CEO Bryan Fry said Australian agriculture was already operating in a market demanding greater transparency, evidence and accountability.
“That is especially relevant to natural fibres, where markets increasingly want to understand not just what a product is, but how and where it was produced,” Mr Fry said.
“Australia is well placed to contribute to that global conversation with our strong agricultural capability. Leadership in this domain is about demonstrating progress, backed by science and standards over time.”
Sessions during the forum examined why fibre choice matters, the increasing importance of traceability and transparency, innovation both on and off farm, and how the voices of growers can be better heard by brand customers.
Mr Kay said there was increasing awareness of the limitations of oil-based synthetic fibres and an opportunity for wool and cotton to communicate their respective natural attributes more effectively.
The forum marked the beginning of what Woolmark and Cotton Australia expect will be greater collaboration between the industries, with both organisations committed to identifying opportunities to grow demand, strengthen market access and support the long-term future of Australian natural fibres.
For woolgrowers, that is ultimately where the value of collaboration lies: ensuring Australian wool remains understood, trusted and valued by the brands and consumers choosing the fibres of the future.
Header image: L–R: AWI Chair George Millington, Cotton Australia chair Liz Stott, Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay, AWI CEO Bryan Fry
This article appeared in Issue 106 of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine that was published in September 2026. Reproduction of the article is encouraged and should be attributed as follows: This article was first published in Issue 106 of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine.
