Many US brands and retailers viewed AWI’s Merino knitwear innovations, for the autumn/winter 2011/12 retail selling season, at last week’s SpinExpo trade event in New York.

US brands and retailers who visited the AWI stand to examine the innovations included Gap, Club Monaco, Dillard’s, Brooks Brothers, Nautica, Lands’ End, Macy’s, PVH, Calvin Klein, Victorinox and Marc Jacobs.

AWI’s general manager for product innovation Jimmy Jackson said the AWI collections had been a great success, and that US interest in natural fibres had been the best for many years.

“It is dangerous to build up expectations, but after many decades of trying to get Merino wool back in the United States apparel market, I believe we are finally getting somewhere,” Mr Jackson said.

“We are re-educating the consumer about what this great fibre can do. US retailers and brands are coming to appreciate how Merino can be used to make products for all seasons and all occasions.”

The new ‘Merino Casual’ and ‘Merino TouchTM’ collections position Merino wool to take advantage of two strengthening consumer trends: the casualisation of fashion and affordable luxury.

The new Merino Casual collection has a stylish new "edge" targeted at the young fashion-conscious street wear and casual wear markets.

A range of novel dyeing and finishing techniques has been applied to the Merino wool to create garments with distinctive textures and aesthetics.

The collection addresses the global trend towards a more informal style of dressing.

AWI also exhibited a range of Merino Touch commercial apparel made from super-soft yarns and fabrics that provide a touch of luxury in an affordable knitted garment.

Sourced from around the world, the commercial garments on display demonstrate how the industry’s most innovative spinners and knitters have embraced the Merino Touch concept and made it their own.

One Woolmark spinner also exhibiting at the show said they had taken orders equivalent to their next two years’ production capacity.

The collections will also be presented to an Asian audience of retailers and brands at the SpinExpo trade event to be held in Shanghai in early September, after which AWI plans to conduct workshops around the world to buying and design teams of the world’s leading apparel brands and retailers.