Reda Italian high end fabric and clothing manufacturer based in Biella in northern Italy recently presented a business plan outlining its future wool requirements. The manufacturer will be doubling the amount of wool it buys in the next six years, mainly benefiting the Australian wool growers.

Of the 22,000 bales of greasy wool it uses, 80 percent is sourced from Australian wool growers. However, superfine wool prices in Australia have been at their highest in more than five years.

The luxury weaver known for its wool suits has recently diversified into the burgeoning active wear category.

Reda's global procurement director Fabrizio Botto Poala said that they provide fabrics for wool shoes and also fabrics used in the ski boots or in the helmet. It's a completely new market, even for them and they think the potential is huge.

Mr Botto Poala has been in northern New South Wales and central Tasmania speaking to its superfine wool growers.

He has since travelled to New Zealand to visit Reda's high country merino properties. Mr Botto Poala would not confirm when the textile company planned to lock in new contracts, but said it would be soon.

While there was an oversupply of 16 micron and finer wools in Australia, there was a lack of 17.5 and 18 micron types. That's why they started contracts some years ago.

Today through these contracts they can secure part of their needs, but most probably they have to work more closely with their suppliers to reach the target.

Reda is a genuine Made in Italy brand which exports throughout the world but maintains a strong bond with its own land and still today makes everything in Valle Mosso near Biella where the company was set up almost 150 years ago and which still manages the whole production chain from the pile to the finished cloth.