CHINA's largest vertically integrated wool mill has waged into the mulesing debate this week seeking assurance from Australia's federation of wool organisation that wool from non-mulesed sheep will be available.
"In the last three years, increasing requests have been made from our international customers to provide products made from non-mulesed Australian wool due to strong pressure of the animal liberation movement," Sunshine Group's director of technology Cao Xiuming said in the letter.
"It is envisaged that these requests will become more frequent in the foreseeable future.
"Being a principal Australian wool user we urge the Australian wool industry to recognise this fact and adopt practices which will ultimately satisfy the needs from its customers."
The Sunshine Group is the largest wool producer of its kind; currently equipped with 180,000 wool spindles, it produces up to 32 million metres of fabric and 3.5 million sets of garments.
Australian Wool Industries Secretariat executive officer Dr Peter Morgan said communication seeking assurance of long-term supply should be perceived as a positive sign for wool demand.
"It reflects what we have been hearing from processors," he said. "It is not new.
"They are alerting the Australian industry and saying that they are getting requests and they want Australia as its major supplier to be able to supply wool that will meet its customer needs."
A letter has been sent from FAWO to Sunshine Group confirming steps had been taken to identify wool from unmulesed sheep and ceased mulesing properties.
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