Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The International Wool Secretariat (IWS) was founded in 1937 and promoted the use and export of Australian wool, working with textile companies, designers and retailers. The International Wool Secretariat soon began special export promotions to the USA and South Africa, and during the 1940s and 1950s offices were established in several European countries, Canada and Japan. In 1964 the International Wool Secretariat began to use their Woolmark logo and continued to expand in size and profit, branching out into new areas such as knitwear, including menswear and womenswear, and carpets. In 1994 the activities of the International Wool Secretariat were merged with those of the Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation (AWRAP), and operated as one organisation under the control of AWRAP. In 1997 the International Wool Secretariat became the Woolmark Company, specialising in textile innovation and technical research, and the London office was closed as Woolmark moved its operations and headquarters to Melbourne, Australia.