‘Let’s make wool great again’: Wool to roll out at Government agencies

Wednesday, 9 April 2025

The Government is changing the rules to direct government agencies to use wool products in the construction and refurbishment of government agencies.

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis announced that from July 1 new procurement requirements would mean new government-owned buildings costing over $9 million and refurbishments costing more than $100,000 would be directed to use wool.

“Let’s make wool great again,” Willis said.

“Government agencies will be directed to use woollen fibre products in the construction and refurbishment of government buildings, where practical and appropriate.”

If agencies did not use woollen materials, they “must explain why and report annually to [the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment] and have clear articulation for not doing so”.

“It’s our hope there won’t be many reports like that. Woollen fibres have a wide range of uses in buildings including carpet, upholstery, insulation, and acoustic panels.”

The NZ First and National Party coalition agreement included the direction that, “government agencies where practical and appropriate to preference the use of woollen fibres rather than artificial fibres in government buildings”.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said it was a “no brainer”.

“New Zealand world is the highest quality in the world, and is highly sought after.

Peters said the versatility of wool was not just limited to carpets, it includes such uses as insulation, acoustic panels, as well as finishings, “and as many of your mothers and grandfathers will tell you… that's far better upon your body than anything else”.

Green Party co leader Chlöe Swarbrick said it was “cool, we'd obviously love to see more New Zealand made wool products used and kind of the things that the public service is up to”.

“But at the end of the day, the government is also under resourcing and defunding the public service.”