Objective measurement of New Zealand wool

Over the past couple of decades most of the research and development on physical methods for the testing of wool has been carried out in New Zealand and Australia, the world's largest exporters of wool, However, there are significant differences between the Australian and New Zealand wool clips, and in the respective proportions of their wools that are exported in the scoured state. Therefore it has been necessary for New Zealand to largely follow its own path in developing systems of raw wool specification that meet its marketing needs. This paper outlines technologies for the testing of New Zealand wool that have become commercialised. While some initiatives have involved the development of new testing systems, others have required the adaptation of instruments that have been already available. There is further scope for further innovations in wool testing in order to exploit the improvements in speed, precision and economics promised by modem technology.