KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's World of Wearable Arts (WOW) attracts entries and attention from around the world, but not all the international interest is positive - with the threat of unwanted foreign pests raising biosecurity risks.
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) reported in its Biosecurity magazine that two entries from this year's show presented significant biosecurity risks.
The 19th WOW Awards show attracted 55 international entrants from 11 countries. Media from all over the world attended, and 31 international designers flew into Wellington to see their creations take the stage.
But two creations needed some extra attention before they could be part of the show.
An entry from Thailand made of silkworm cocoons was found to be infested and had to be fumigated by MAFBNZ before it could hit the runway.
Another garment arrived from India packed in straw which had to be sent to a quarantine facility and carefully removed and destroyed.
It was a happy ending, however, with the Indian entry going on to win a WOW Factor Award.
WOW entrants are alerted to New Zealand's quarantine requirements in their entry documentation, but it may have been overlooked in these cases, the magazine said.
Meanwhile, unwanted pests have also been hitchhiking into the country in imported furniture.
Biosecurity said wooden furniture imported from Asia, particularly China, posed a significant biosecurity risk.
Since 1988 there had been 83 detections of exotic organisms associated with imported furniture entering New Zealand, of which 41 per cent came from China, Indonesia and Thailand.
More than half the detections happened "post-border" after biosecurity clearance had been issued, with many being detected by members of the public.
On several occasions investigators found borer holes covered up with putty.
Further investigations noted some Chinese furniture manufacturers put good quality wood on visible surfaces and poor quality - insect damaged or bark covered - timber in internal sections of the furniture.
Currently, voluntary fumigation of furniture by importers was helping keep the pest risk low.
- NZPA
