Background

Textiles, Carpet, Footwear, Apparel
Textiles New Zealand is an industry organisation set up in 2003 to assist with developing the four contributing industry sectors that make up the combined New Zealand textiles industry. The four areas which comprise the industry as a whole are Textiles, Carpet, Footwear, and Apparel.
 

“

As a trading nation, New Zealand's standard of living is dependent upon wealth generated from our export industries. To be a successful exporting nation we must understand what New Zealand's comparative advantage is in the world economy. The reality is that New Zealand gains most of its export wealth from tourism and the agricultural economy, and our comparative advantage is two-fold:
  1. producing quality goods and services from our natural environment
  2. adding value through innovation, powerful branding under “Brand New Zealand” and superb marketing
This is also true for the textiles sector. The strategic vision and future for the textiles industry in New Zealand relies on innovation, branding and marketing to sell to the world natural, authentic, home-grown, environmentally-friendly, sustainable, beautiful and quality textiles, clothing, carpets and life-style products sourced from natural fibres and our natural environment. Embracing innovation and new technologies is a key for NZ textiles businesses to succeed in the future. Research and Development (R&D) doesn't have to be difficult and there is plenty of support around, such as Locus Research, to assist companies with their R&D projects. Textiles NZ will continue to encourage companies to pursue R&D as we want the sector to be innovative and successful. Give it a go.
”

Elizabeth Tennet, CEO Textiles New Zealand

 

Textiles New Zealand's goal is to transform the New Zealand textiles industry into a growing, profitable and sustainable industry successfully competing in the international marketplace, and ultimately achieving export earnings of $1 billion by 2010.

To assist in achieving this goal Textiles New Zealand has launched the "Transform" initiative. It provides an effective developmental framework and the financial assistance for individual companies and industry partners to co-operate, and create innovative export oriented products.


Textiles New Zealand has been allocated funding from the Foundation of Research Science and Technology (FRST) to invest in product development projects. FRST is the primary government research and development organisation and invests approximately $450 million of public money per annum through a number of funds and schemes.

Textiles New Zealand will administer and manage the development fund in liaison with FRST and provide up to a 75% contribution toward developmental costs. The funding does not cover capital items, commercialisation or marketing costs.