Australians try to pull the wool over the tropics

Text by Dini S. Djalal and photos by Samuel Sunarto

JAKARTA (JP): "I don't care what people say. Wool is hot stuff," says Martina, an Australian living in Jakarta. Martina is talking about wearing traditionally winter fabrics in tropical temperatures.

"I wouldn't wear wool in this country," Martina adds. "Unless I'm staying at the Hyatt all day," she laughs.

American executive Tanya agrees that wool is simply not cool. "I have a couple of wool jackets for formal meetings but I only wear them if I'm certain I will be in sub-zero temperatures," she says.

Ingrained attitudes like these are keeping the Australia-based International Wool Secretariat (IWS) very busy. The IWS was in Jakarta recently to introduce wol tropis (tropical wool) to Indonesia's immense consumer market. A fashion show on June 18 featuring ready-to-wear wool collections by both international and Indonesian designers, as well as the first batik apparel made of wool, followed a seminar illustrating wool's potential to local textile manufacturers.

The show was a success, says Paul Regnault, director of the IWS-funded research project currently perfecting wool-batikking methods. "We are seeing a lot of interest from textile manufacturers who want to introduce new products and use something other than polyester," says Regnault. The IWS is currently negotiating with industry giants PT Argo Pantes and PT Hadtex, and PT Georgia Macquarie Indonusa is reportedly investing US$10 million in a wool-production plant here.

Heaps of sheep

But is "tropical wool" merely Australia's marketing spin for a nation deep in sheep? The world's largest wool producer and exporter -- Australia exports 98 percent of its wool production and counts wool as its biggest export earner -- would be foolish to sidestep the 190-million-population of its next-door neighbor. "Yes, we've a lot of wool we want to get rid of," admits Paul Regnault.

Regnault adds, however, that there are great benefits in marketing wool in Indonesia. "Sure, we've got heaps of sheep, but everyone's got an angle," says Regnault. "Look at all the air- conditioned buildings in this city. In those buildings, you can wear lightweight wool, which absorbs moisture," he adds.

Local industrialists merely have to decide at which stage of production they want to enter. "Maybe developing the specialized spinning and weaving capability requires some capital," Regnault suggests.

But once the equipment is in place, Regnault says vast opportunities for export await. "The industry isn't limited to fashion garments. You can also export blankets and sportswear," Regnault points out. And a major incentive to produce wool is the higher retail price it commands. Pure wool and wool-blend products often sell at up to double the price of cotton or synthetic products.

Prospects for higher earnings exist not only for giant manufacturers but also for smaller producers. In particular, the ailing batik industry is well positioned to benefit from this new development.

Winter

"Batik wool would be great for overseas markets, for winter clothes. Anything we sell in silk we can also sell in wool," explains designer Ghea Panggabean. She says her indigo and brick- red Batik Tuban in wool, cut into elegant sarongs and Chinese- influenced cropped jackets, were well-received by both local and foreign buyers.

Was the fabric not thick and itchy? "Absolutely not," Ghea insists. "Besides, wool falls beautifully. If you don't try it yourself, you won't know," she argues.

Iwan Tirta, Indonesia's foremost batik designer, was also well-rewarded for his risky venture. "We sold more than half of our collection," says Tirta's assistant Pauly. The shawls were particularly popular, he adds, because they provide a warmer alternative to silk batik scarves in cool weather.

If Tirta's colorful, dramatic batiks -- in ultramarine, apple- green, and fuchsia, as well as traditional gold-and-brown hues -- were the star of the show, it's because it has taken him seven months to process the batiks. "The colors came out so well because we painstakingly followed the process worked out by the IWS," says Pauly. The process of batikking wool takes twice as long as batikking more traditional materials such as silk and cotton.

Maintaining fabric softness is as important, and as difficult, as preserving colors. Regnault explains that after multiple applications of dye, wax, washing agents, and heat, the wool may become stripped of its protein -- essentially turning the fabric into canvas. "The timing process is very critical. Wool isn't like cotton which you can wash for as long as you want -- Wool needs a little more care and attention," says Regnault. Regnault admits that the IWS' next step is to implement educational and training programs on the proper treatment of wool.

Educating the textile industry may prove less challenging than changing the public's perceptions of wool as accessories for an Arctic expedition. When asked if she would wear wool in Indonesia, 25 year-old financial analyst Ruby said, "Normally? No."

Ghea argues, however, that most working women in Indonesia do wear wool or wool-blends in suits. "If you look at the ladies who go out, they are all wearing imported light-weight wool suits. All those Armani suits are wool-blend," says Ghea. She plans to include more woolens in her collection, to be sold on the domestic market.

Some consumers, however, remain unconvinced. "Sure, I've got some light-weight wool clothes," says Tanya, an American living in Jakarta. But, adds Tanya, "They're still hanging in the closet."