UK superfine wool grower and campaigner with royal ties thanks local growers at Henty Machinery Field Days

Mrs Lesley Prior is a councillor on The Campaign for Wool, an organisation established to promote the natural fibre 12 years ago by the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.

The organisation is a coalition of wool producing nations with the aim to promote wool use and to champion the industry.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Speaking at the field days opening, Mrs Prior expressed her gratefulness to local wool producers for their support.

Mrs Prior said the organisation is funded by all member countries, with Australia as the largest wool producer in the world being the major contributor.

"Those of you who work in the campaign thank you from the bottom of our hearts," she said.

Working on the organisation set up by King Charles III, Mrs Prior has met him on many occasions.

"I've met him many times because he's actively involved in the campaign and comes to council meetings whenever he can," she said.

"He is really passionate about this and the environmental side of it."

Mrs Prior has also developed a 16.5 micron superfine traditional spinners type wool and runs a merino sheep farm with her husband Roger and son Elliot in Devon in southwest England.

She has been using Australian genetics in her research for the past 13 years and said the King has even showed keen interest in the project.

"King Charles has actually taken a great deal of interest in my sheep and has even met them," she said.

Reflecting on the coalition and it's work more broadly, Mrs Prior said it's all about bringing the world of wool together.

"Wool is a very small fibre on the world stage," she said.

"Everyone here knows what sheep and merinos are, but in the grand scale of things, wool only makes up a very tiny proportion of apparel wear and textile use in general."

Mrs Prior said the problem is that the majority of textiles come from man made fibres made from petroleum.

"So we have a big battle to fight against waste, misuse of precious unsustainable resources, and sheep are the answer," she said.

"But trying to convince people of that is really hard.

"So, every voice counts."

Mrs Prior said the campaign runs quite dramatic events, largely focused in Europe.

"There's a lot of anti-wool sentiment over there, and it's actually also where a lot of Australian wool ends up," she said.

"Although Australian wool might start off being processed in China, an awful lot of it ends up in northern Europe because with their [cold] climate people need to wear wool."

Mrs Prior hopes to encourage a major increase in the uptake of people wearing the natural fibre.

"If people have a choice between wearing a synthetic garment and a woollen one, to choose wool," she said.

Mrs Prior is also the only non-Australian British member of the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: