The launch of Woolworths menswear collection for Summer 2007 will see the introduction of a suit made from what has been called the world’s finest wool and mohair blend fabric. The lightweight suit, which incorporates all the remarkable attributes of these two luxury fibres – exquisite handle, beautiful drape, natural crease resistance and subtle lustre – forms part of Woolworths’ top-tier men’s w collection. The fabric was produced by leading South African worsted mill, Hextex. Explains Woolworths’ resident wool expert Hugo Lemon, “What makes this particular fabric unique is the fineness of the mohair which has been used to spin the yarn from which the fabric is woven. This fineness has been achieved through a process known as EGT – every goat tested – which has allowed us to select mohair fibres of 20 micron and below. We’ve blended it with exceptionally fine, 18.5 micron pure new wool to produce a superior yarn that combines the luxurious handle and resilience of wool with the subtle lustre of mohair.” What makes this fabric even more special is that the wool and mohair from which it is woven are locally produced, South African fibres. Producing some 60 percent of the world’s mohair, South Africa leads the world in production of this luxury fibre and the fibres from our flocks of Angora goats are considered among the world’s best. South Africa is also one of the world’s top wool producers, and our merino sheep are renowned for the fine quality of their wool. The introduction of the EGT process, based on the EST (every sheep tested) system pioneered in Australia, means that every goat is assessed before shearing so that each fleece is classified not only according to the usual standards applied to wool and mohair, but also according to objective measurements. This testing, says Lemon, allows for the selection of fibres that fall within a narrow range for both diameter and length. It is this consistency that gives the fabric its superior handle and exceptional durability. The Summer 2007 men’s w collection will be available at selected Woolworths stores nationwide from October 2007. The wool/mohair blend suit will be priced from R499 for the suit trousers and from R1300 for the suit jacket. ENDS Issued on behalf of: Woolworths Issued by: liquidlingo Communications Contact: Jackie Busch /Ayesha Abrahams +27 21 424 1530 ayehsa@liquidlingo.co.za