A Wool 101 seminar was conducted at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Jakarta last week to explain the 18 properties wool has to make it a better material to use for garments than synthetic materials. Wool is breathable, appropriate for a variety of climates, elastic, fire-resistant, machine washable and stain resistant, said Rajesh Bahl, global manager the developing market at Woolmark Company supporting merino wool.

A test conducted by the Woolmark Company showed that "sport wear made of wool fabric can retain odor for up to seven hours after exercise, Bahl said, making it ideal for exercise wear.

One of the most important characteristics of wool which determines its classification — as well as its price — is the wool’s fiber diameter. The finer a wool diameter, the softer and more crimped it becomes. Crimp, the wave in the wool staple, contributes to the bulk and the lightness of wool fabrics. The Australian wool clip is particularly suited to use in apparel, said Bahl.

The softness of wool fabrics even makes it suitable for baby’s clothing. Its breathability makes it the perfect material for baby products.

This disproves commonly held view of wool. Most people think wool would be best knitted into a sweater and other cool-climate apparel. But as the Woolmark Company's global trade education manager Julie Davies says: “Wool is not only for cool climates. There’s a lot of applications for wool.”

And Woolmark has developed high technology for producing the finest fabrics for designers and manufacturers. This technology has enabled them to produce a wide variety of fabrics.

In a mini fashion show held at the event, models showcased items made of fabrics woven from Merino wools. Merino wools are the main ingredients for many of the fabrics used in international fashion houses and by world-renowned designers. Woolmark’s patrons include Givenchy, Vivien Westwood, Jonathan Saunders, Dunhill, Alexander Wang and Victoria Beckham.

Hesty Halim, general manager of Gistex, an Indonesian textile company, attending the workshop at the Grand Hyatt said that working in the textile industry, he needs to know the latest updates as they don’t have this type of garments in Indonesia, yet.

Josephine Nyoman, a couture and bridal designer based in Surabaya, also attended the workshop ahead of launching her ready-to-wear collection next month.

The iconic logo of Woolmark, which was created in 1964 by the Italian graphic artist Francesco Saroglia, has now become a symbol of quality, as garments with this logo must contain 100 percent pure, new wool.