Key facts
Programme start: February 2016
Length: 7 years
PGP funding: $11.05 million
Industry funding: $11.05 million
Crown funding paid out to programme for work done to 30 June 2019: $5,134,138
Commercial partners: The New Zealand Merino Company
Estimated potential economic benefits to NZ: The programme aims to deliver cumulative economic benefits for the New Zealand economy of up to $335 million by 2025.
The challenge
Strong wool is being sold as a commodity product and the industry has been in steady decline for the past 25 years.
The solution
This programme will:
- connect growers with consumers
- differentiate strong wool products from synthetics
- develop new uses and users for strong wool
- ensure that on-farm production practices align with consumer expectations of a premium product.
This will result in the development of fit-for-market wool enabling:
- a more sustainable industry by delivering sustained premiums over the commodity price for wool
- consumers to understand the attributes and benefits of wool.
The programme will also promote greater collaboration within the strong wool industry. Information will be shared across the wider primary industries. W3 will complement work already underway to improve returns for sheep meat, beef, and venison to capture the best possible returns for New Zealand's primary industries.
Find out more
Read the media release announcing the programme
Read the Government's media release – Beehive website
Programme documents
W3 programme outcome logic model [PDF, 519 KB]
Independent progress review of the Wool Unleashed (W3) programme
Audit of W3: Wool Unleashed programme [PDF, 767 KB]
