Australian Wool Innovation CEO John Roberts has outlined positive signs for wool sales in 2023.

According to Roberts, AWI's network of offices has reported marketing success in Japan and Italy, renewed demand from India, and a COVID-19 recovery in China.

Chinese textile mills have been operating at full capacity since early January, and more than half of surveyed respondents in China believe their household income will increase over the next five years. In Italy, AWI's partnership with Prada Luna Rossa for the next America's Cup has led to more than fifteen other brands approaching them to use wool in sporting and outdoor wear.

In Japan, wool's eco-credentials, particularly its biodegradability, have resonated with consumers, with the most recent winter campaign yielding a significant uplift in sales of the partner's wool category. Renewed buying interest in Australian wool has been observed out of India, and the recent launch of the Circle Sportswear supernatural runner with 65 percent Australian Merino wool and a completely biodegradable sole has prompted other brands to explore using The Woolmark Company logo on their items.

The "Wear Wool, Not Fossil Fuel" campaign continues to resonate with consumers, with 3-D billboards in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus showcasing the difference between wool and synthetics.