Wool stalwart Philippa Wright wears the product she is so passionate about.
Wool stalwart Philippa Wright wears the product she is so passionate about.
OPINION
The name is familiar in the world of wool, Philippa Wright is now in her 46th year of being involved in the wool industry. Starting as a shed hand in the heart of the McKenzie Country in the South Island, then onto classing some iconic South Island Merino clips, and finally, the brokering scene in Napier, which was and still is the heart of the North Island strong wool.
In her words, Philippa talked about where wool is heading.
I bought into my own brokering company in Waipukurau, 25 years ago and am still there, although living back in the Bay, commuting to the store while also working from home.
I did not join the industry with any great intentions other than to earn enough money to live the lifestyle I desired at that time.
It was quite a surprise that it was so male-dominated as I progressed through the ranks in my early years, especially with those years in the sheds when women were so dominant.
This was something I struggled with throughout my 40-plus years and sadly there has not been a notable change in the more senior roles to this day.
I feel I have let the side down slightly here as there really does need to be a better strategy in place to encourage and support women in the industry beyond middle management and into the board rooms so to speak.
It still surprises me that I persevered for so long, but, like so many in this industry it truly does get into your blood.
It equally surprises me that I can honestly say that I have loved it and am eternally grateful to the Global Campaign for Wool, of which I have been with for 15 years and am a trustee of the NZ Campaign for Wool.
The campaign truly inspired me and continually reminds me of wool’s outstanding attributes and its immense value to the world.
The plight of wool
There is presently more talk in the public arena about wool and its plight than I have seen in years.
It feels abysmally sad that it has taken probably the worst price drops I have ever seen in my career to create this much-delayed conversation to begin, and I sincerely hope it is not all too late.
I have always and still very much believe that the saddest day in our history was the day the wool growers of NZ voted to first stop all marketing of NZ Wool and then decommission the wool board entirely.
Philippa Wright has been in the wool industry for 45 years.
Yes, there was some serious misuse of funds and mismanagement, but surely this could have been overhauled to create an enduring long-term strategy that could have been kept to account through the years of serious competition from the synthetic industries.
So, here we are, fighting for our lives to maintain one of New Zealand’s oldest industries.
An industry that provides so many solutions to our very real and serious environmental and economic issues. I am heartened by the sudden inspiration of new uses and re-creating of uses for many long-valued products using New Zealand strong wool.
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Philippa Wright on The Country below:
I am impressed by the urgency sensed by groups to enlighten and inspire the next generations to understand the attributes of wool and the many possibilities.
Realistically, I don’t see my generation seeing the results of what is going to be a very long road to put wool back to its rightful place, but what I do see and believe strongly is that we have a younger generation coming into this with very new eyes and using the knowledge that our generation has built and hopefully passed on.
They have the capabilities to move much faster and be far more agile with technology that just simply wasn’t available to us.
So, yes, I believe in the future of wool, and I know the world needs it and will be a better place because of it.
The next generations deserve to know and understand its value.
I have been in it for the long haul and will be until I am buried in my wool coffin, so don’t lose heart, always choose wool, and live well.
