Wools of New Zealand has built a series of educational, promotional and LEED compliant initiatives to benefit its membership, not to mention the design community and the end user as well. Two of the organization's bigger programs are ready for action and tackle the all-important topics of clean air and successful sales techniques.

Wool: Clean Air Certified

WONZ is giving a voice to the positive attributes of wool through a new certification program that will find approved products carrying a distinctive Wool: Clean Air Certified label.

Products will be tested by a certified independent laboratory and must pass stringent VOC emission testing for 13 contaminants in order to qualify. They are also required to meet standards that verify reductions of VOCs in the indoor environment, including formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Premier Partners

The Premier Partners program was designed to increase the wool selling power of luxury showrooms.

To become partners, showrooms must meet certain criteria, including carrying a minimum of five WONZ brand lines and training their staff through WONZ’s Wool College, which is specifically created to enhance wool knowledge and product selling skills.

In return, showrooms receive a number of benefits, including private label and display options, access to a selection of carpets and rugs made exclusively for Premier Partners and participation in special events throughout the year.

Product Trends

In looking to trends for the coming year, Elise Demboski, executive director of North America for WONZ, notes “cross hatch patterns are starting to make a big appearance.

The trend seems to be toward bold design, versus dainty patterns.”
She points to thicker lines and more adventurous colors, like purple, making their way into the palette. Flatwoven broadlooms with textural variations will be making headlines at Surfaces as well, Demboski says.