WOOL WONDER: Silky shipment hints at green production future

GEELONG’S illustrious wool industry has opened a new chapter as part of a trial of zero-emissions clothing production that could soon be rolled out across Australia.

Three bales arrived in the city after a two-week voyage from Tasmania for production into knitwear, as a national menswear brand continues a push towards homegrown, sustainable manufacturing.

Newtown’s century-old Riversdale Mill has accepted the 35 kilogram wool package, which will be processed, spun and hand-knitted into prototype products for MJ Bale in the coming months.

Sailor and adventurer Grant Maddock, also known as “Two Dogs”, was the chosen courier last month and embarked on a 16-day, fuel-free, solo journey from farm to mill.

Mr Maddock cycled 200 km from the carbon positive-accredited Tasmanian wool farm, Kingston, to Hobart before sailing in a yacht along the state’s east coast and across the Bass Strait to Eastern Beach and cycling into Newtown.

The Tasmanian farm produced 105 kg of carbon-neutral wool from 48 sheep through a partnership with Sea Forest, which provides feed supplements through seaweed that dramatically reduces livestock methane production.

Riversdale Mill has since washed and scoured the three wool bales for delivery to Bacchus Marsh, for further processing.

Mr Maddock said he was a long-time environmental and climate change campaigner and was thrilled to be part of the knitwear trial.

“I am proud to be part of the solution being put forward by M.J. Bale, Sea Forest and Kingston,” he said.

MJ Bale founder and chief executive officer Matt Jensen said the company aimed to upscale the zero-emissions transport trial to its 70 Australian stores.

“Our world-first trial of the zero-emission woollen products is a major step forward for the global fashion industry,” Mr Jensen said.

“This journey is also intent on revitalising the Australian wool processing and manufacturing industry, seeing whether we can create a supply chain for our products entirely in Australia.”

MJ Bale’s trial, which it called its “The Lightest Footprint” project, is part of company-wide initiatives to reduce its carbon output.

The brand achieved carbon-neutral certification late last year.