International Wool Textile Organisation

IWTO is the international body representing the interests of the world's wool-textile trade and industry. IWTO membership covers woolgrowers, traders, primary processors,spinners, weavers, garment makers and retailers of wool and allied fibres in its member-countries, as well as all kind of organizations related to wool products and the wool business in general.

Facts IWTO is representing a highly international and global acting industry with an important impact on the world economy and the global textile industry.

This industry is producing a most natural, renewable and environment friendly and comfortable product: WOOL

The wool industry is:

Producing around 1,3 million tons of wool per year 
Taking care of more than 1 billion sheep around the world, with the highest focus on animal welfare 
78% of the world wool production is taking place in IWTO member countries 
There is almost 816,000 tons of fabric (wool and other wool blends) produced yearly by the global wool industry, of which 92% is produced in IWTO member countries 
Over 900,000 tons of raw wool (greasy, scoured, carbonised) trade yearly, with IWTO members accounting for 87 % 
The value of raw wool exports (greasy, scoured, carbonised)  from IWTO members is around US$ 2.5 billion yearly (source : Woolmark) 
The value of wool tops exported from IWTO Countries is around US$ 1.2 billion yearly (source: Woolmark) 
92% of the world production of wool tops is manufactured in IWTO member countries 
Over 2 million tons of yarn (wool and other fibres) produced in the world yearly, of which IWTO Member Countries account for 72 % 
90% of all worldwide fabrics containing wool are produced in IWTO member countries 
The total retail value of sales of wool products is around US$80 billion yearly (source : Woolmark) 
IWTO is representing around 4.000 Wool & Textile Companies 

External links

International Wool Textile Organisation Bodies

 AWEX (Australian Wool Exchange) 
 AUSTRALIAN WOOL INNOVATION (AWI) 
 BWMB (British Wool Marketing Board) 
 Capewools 
 Meat and Wool Innovation 
 New Zealand Merino 
 Wools of New Zealand 
 The Woolmark Company 

Associations

 ATOK (Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry - Czech Republic) 
 EURATEX (European Apparel and Textile Organisation) 
 FAIB (Federation of International Associations established in Belgium) 
 IAF (International Apparel Federation) 
 INTERLAINE 
 INTERWOOLLABS 
 ITMF (International Texilte Manufacturers' Federation) 
 OETH (Observatoire Européen du Textile et de l'Habillement) 

Research Institutes

 CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation) 
 DWI (Deutsche Wollforschungsinstitut) 
 FASERINSTITUT BREMEN 
 WOOLWISE (Australian Cooperative Research Centre for premium quality wool) 

Other Fibres Associations

 AIA (International Alpaca Association) 
 CCMI (Cashmere & Camel Hair Manufacturers Association) 
 CIRFS (International Rayon & Synthetic Fibres Committee) 
 IMA (International Mohair Association) 
 Mongolian Cashmere 
 ITMF (International Textile Manufacturers Federation) 

News

 ITS - PUBLISHING (International Textile Bulletin) 
 TEXTILEWEB (Sourcing site for Textiles Industries) 
 TW - NETWORK (Textilwirtschaft) 
 WTP (World Textile Publication - Wool Record) 
 Woolnews.net - Victor Chesky Editor 
 Iconique - Your Online Fashion, Lifestyle, Art and Beauty Magazine  
fibre2fashion is a leading news, articles, business information source of the world. 
ecotextile– The monthly magazine for the sustainable and ethical textiles & apparel industries 

International Organisations

 EU COMMISSION 
 ISO (International Standard Organisation) 
 WTO (World Trade Organisation) 

Exhibitions

 EXPOFIL - France 
 Midec (toute la mode est à vos pieds) - France 
 MESSE FRANKFURT - Germany 
 FILO - Italy 
 FIMI - Italy 
 PITTI IMAGINE - Italy 
 ModaPelle - Italy 
 PRATO EXPO - Italy 
 PREMIERE VISION - France 
 SIMM - Semana Moda Italy 
 TEXTIL HOGAR - Spain 
 TEXTILMODA - Spain 

Teach & Train

 LDT NAGOLD (German Academy of Textile & Shoe) 
 PEARL ACADEMY (Indian Academy of Fashion) 
 TAFE (South Australia Library Network) 

Miscelleanous

 MODEM guides on fashion and design exhibitions in Paris and Milan 
 PROMOTION OF BELGIAN DESIGNERS 
 TEXTILE BULGARIA 
CHINA HOMETEX NETWORK  
 THE EUROPEAN BOOKSHOP 
 TEXTILIENS 
 CENTRE TOURISTIQUE DE LA LAINE ET DE LA MODE - Verviers 
 TEXTILES DIRECTORY 
 KEOZ.COM 
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