Ep. 51: AWEX

Textile Innovation

In this episode of The WTiN Podcast, we talk to Mark Grave, CEO at the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX).

The organisation was established in 1993 to deliver services that support and add value to the global demand for Australian wool. It works with wool classers and wool growers, helps to facilitate auctions, and provides marketing services, among other things.

In this podcast, Grave talks about Australia’s strong and proud wool industry that comprises around 35,000 wool growers and nearly 70 million sheep. Although this is a well-established industry and has previously suffered from being traditional, it is now taking advantage of new technologies such as RFID. For example, AWEX has recently introduced WoolClip – an internet and mobile app that allows the user to create wool specifications, consignments and National Wool Declarations – and eBale, which is a new bale labelling system that can improve traceability. Elsewhere, Grave talks about how digital tools are helping to encourage diversity within the sector and how the wider agricultural industry is now being recognised for how professional, complex and interesting it is to work in.