Stewart Collie shares his journey through wool development at AgResearch at the 2014 Innovation Forum

1. Innovation through Woolly Thinking
Stewart Collie
Science Team Leader, Textiles
AgResearch
Innovation Forum 2014

2. My Background
How did I end up as a Textile Technologist working for AgResearch?
(and what is a Textile Technologist?!)

3. Research Interests
Knitwear and knitted fabric
development
Thermophysiological comfort –
textile-human interactions
Smart textiles and wearable
electronics
Electrically conductive polymers

4. Wool as a Material

5. Textile Structures & Processes

6. AgResearch
One of NZ’s seven ‘Crown Research Institutes’ (CRIs)
Each with a distinct role and group of stakeholders
AgResearch’s role is research related to pastoral agriculture – sheep,
cattle, deer, goats and the materials/foods they produce.
So, this includes wool and wool textiles

7. Innovation in a CRI – how does it happen?
Primarily as contract research projects
Instigated by clients or ourselves – guided by industry priorities
Funding sources
• Core funding
• MBIE Contestable
• Industry bodies
• Companies and organisations
In many cases we can be the ‘R&D department’ of our clients

8. Encouraging Innovation in AgResearch
An example: AgR’s Curiosity Fund
• Internal funding to encourage all staff to try out something they
are curious about
• Simple application process; proposals assessed by peers and
AgR’s top scientists
• 20 projects every year – product development, experimental
methods, new procedures, systems, etc.
• Some will turn into bigger projects and ultimately have an impact
for our stakeholders

9. Back to Wool… What’s it Worth to NZ?
• New Zealand fourth largest producer of wool, 11.2% of world production.
• Wool fibre export earnings year ended 30 June 2013 = $677.6 million
• Wool carpet and rug export receipts were $110.7 million.
• Intermediate products contribute a further $64.1 million.
• All wool products represented 1.9% ($852.4 million) of the total value of
New Zealand merchandise exports.
• Woolgrease exports and refined woolgrease products.
Where to next? (future R&D and commercialisation)

10. Snapshot – Wool Innovation for Industry Good
New Insect Resist Technologies
• Current wool insecticides becoming less
effective.
• Need to reduce insecticide in effluent
from dye-bath.
• The need to improve eco credentials of
insect resist treatments.

11. Fipronil Chlorfenapyr Bifenthrin Permethrin
LC50 Daphnia magna µg/l
190 6.11 1.6 0.6
Active in formulation g/l 6 40 5 100
Suggested application
rate
% omw 0.62 0.27 0.21 0.33
Relative impact on
Daphnia
((conc×%
omw)
/LC50) ×
50
1 89 33 2750
• Identify new insecticides from other sectors
• Evaluate as a wool insect-resist treatment
• Develop a new formulation and treatment process
Developing a New Insect Resist Treatment

12. Snapshot – Wool Innovation as Product Development:
Gimono™
Where did it start?
- They approached us with the idea of making a better gi with wool –
having seen the growth in wool activewear.
- They had already evaluated existing fabrics – none were suitable.
Gimono Traditional cotton gi

13. Snapshot – Gimono™
What did AgResearch do?
- A fabric development project to
make a lightweight, high strength,
low-stretch, wool-rich fabric
- Focused on establishing a fabric
composition and structure that was
tough but comfortable next to skin.
- Identified knitted fabric
manufacturers capable of reliably
making the precise structure
required
- Helped put together the supply
chain

14. What Wool the Future Hold?
The ideal new use for wool is high value and relatively large volume
Exciting possibilities:
- Medical textiles
- Exploit biocompatibility; investigate the science of textile-
human interactions
- Health & wellbeing – skin health, thermophysiological comfort
- Wound dressings & implantables
- Technical applications
- Exploit unique attributes of wool e.g. moisture interactions,
flame retardant
- High performance sportswear
- Protective textiles including filters

15. The role of ‘traditional’ science in innovation
Some personal musings…
Science is a part of innovation, and both require persistence, rigour,
creativity, discovery…
Some scientists love learning about design, commercialisation,
entrepreneurship; others hate the idea
Scientists can learn a lot from working in a technology start-up!
Multidisciplinary teams (within and beyond science) are the future
Successful technological innovation requires both robust science and
good design