ALBERTO Regis has been on Australian soil on a carbon wool fact finding mission for his global marketing company Regina Regis for only four days, but already the fastidious Italian is satisfied what he has seen will form the basis for his company’s latest brand venture.
“So much space and so relaxed,” Mr Regis offers as his summation of Australia.
“It is a world of uniqueness – why wouldn’t I want to do business here,” he says.
As the man who brought the world Havianna thongs – footwear made from Brazilian rubber that are today sold to 160 million consumers world wide, Mr Regis has worked the rules of marketing to build a business brand platform targeting innovative concept products.
In careful thought like authority, he puts his success down to two things – keeping it simple and staying ahead.
“Fashion is exciting, but the trick is keeping it realistic or else you will be forgotten,” he offers.
Having recognised the swell of support for ethical and sustainable produce sweeping into the Northern European textile market, Mr Regis’s latest venture is a collection of sexy, versatile next-to-skin garments, made with Australian carbon neutral wool.
In a frank assessment he believes wool still drags around its fussy reputation because of a lack of communication between retailers, processors and the consumer.
But he recognises the unique position wool holds as being a renewable environmentally friendly product.
Like Havianna thongs, which have run with the successful connection with Brazil and rubber, the marketing concept is about a brand equating to country of origin equating to material.
He said the clothing range, named Quatha, will be “brand, equals Australia, equals Australian wool.”
“The Quatha collection is a new modern concept for wool.
"Results from our market tests (which have been running for the past six months) have revealed consumers are surprised the garments are wool.
"They love the next-to-skin comfort, they love that it is Australian Merino, they love the clean design, and most of all they love the fact the brand is environmentally friendly.”
Hip fashion designer Dara Dellan has drafted up the style and the Quatha collection will hit high fashion and design shops in Italy and Scandinavia in September.
“Dara has been very excited working wool and believes it is a fantastic fibre to design with,” Mr Regis said.
Mr Regis will source carbon neutral Merino wool from growers in the The Merino Company's (TMC) pool who have ‘official’ third party generated and verified carbon credits.
The wool sourced is 18 micron and the single jersey Merino knit fabric is manufactures at TMC’s Laveana Textiles in new Zealand.
TMC’s Bruce McDonald confirmed that the company had fielded a number of international requests for carbon neutral wool.
As far as the future Mr Regis flew out of Sydney a confident man.
"People still need to be educated about carbon,” Mr Regis said.
“But I’m a marketing man who believes uniqueness will succeed a brand, and with a story attached it really just depends on how well we market wool.”
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