Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has partnered with CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology on a project to develop a new method of printing images on wool, designed to tap into the American US$4 billion hunting attire market.
The result of the project is CamoMERINO – a high-resolution camouflage effect applied to a wool / polyester fabric, perfect for the hunting and fishing market.
Two types of fabric were developed for the project: a woven fabric (25 per cent 19 micron wool/75 per cent polyester), and a knit (45 per cent 18 micron wool/55 per cent polyester).
The unique process involves taking licensed prints from US company Mossy Oak and firstly printing onto paper with disperse dyes. The transfer print is applied to the fabric in a high-temperature process before being finally subjected to a water-repellent nanotechnology treatment.
Australian Merino wool naturally has a very thin, waxy coating that renders the fibre water-proof. Water simply beads and falls off before having a chance to be absorbed into the fabric.
It can also bend up to 20,000 times without breaking, making it almost 7 times stronger than cotton and 10 times stronger than silk.
The final CamoMERINO product is durable, water-proof, comfortable and quick-drying. Most importantly for the contemporary consumer, it is also machine washable.
All these qualities make Australian Merino wool the perfect fibre for this product, with the potential for broader application. Further research is continuing with the aim to apply the technology to women's fashion, and to also increase the CamoMERINO wool content without lowering the quality of the print.
Australian Wool Innovation's (AWI) US office is building relationships with hunting and fishing clothing manufacturers to develop the product for marketing.
marketing@alchempro.com
