New Zealand wool prices reached a 21-year high last year alongside a heavy decrease in the number of sheep in the country; with sheep-meat export prices also reaching an all time high.

Cavalier Holdings has been thrown a huge opportunity to build a monopoly position in the wool industry thanks to a Commerce Commission determination released today.

It would be a hard sell in New Zealand, but the marketers of a range of rugs in the United States are banking on the names of small towns to help sell them.

Wool Equities, which is attempting a phoenix-like resurrection to prosperity, has buddied up with Elders Primary Wool’s Just Shorn carpet and rug initiative in the US.

It involves Wool Equities producing handcrafted Nepalese rugs for sale in 35 up-market International Design Guild stores under the Just Shorn brand. They are made from Romney wool grown in New Zealand.

Wool Partners Co-Operative is seeking $65 million from growers in a do or die bid to dominate the strong wool industry.

The new company has been created to be a 100% farmer-owned entity replacing Wool Partners International, owned by Wool Grower Holdings and PGG Wrightson.

New Zealand woolgrowers have discovered an unlikely ally in the Prince of Wales.

In Britain this week it was revealed Prince Charles had met representatives of the British Wool Marketing Board, farmers and fashion experts to discuss the revival of the fibre.

It was reported that two years ago, the Prince identified the need to boost wool prices after complaints from farmers and tenants of his Duchy of Cornwall estate.