Australian Merino wool is a wholly natural fibre and a renewable resource that answers the call of many modern consumers for safer, greener and more sustainable apparel, according to Australian Wool Innovation and Woolmark.

The two bodies have been working with a number of companies to produce fabrics made from Australian Merino that require less environmentally damaging dry cleaning.

AWI's chief executive, Craig Welsh, says Merino wool is the "perfect fibre for partners such as Onward Kashiyama to reinforce its brand's eco credentials and provide customers with a natural choice for their apparel textiles".

"AWI and The Woolmark Company are clearly focused on working with industry partners to deliver innovative products which meet the needs of the consumers of today, and tomorrow," Mr Welsh said.

"I applaud the initiative of the partners in the 'Australian Merino Field' collection and encourage the efforts of textile manufacturers and retailers to develop products which take advantage of wool's inherent characteristics, and further expand wool's market share."

The collection, which has been created by the Japanese apparel group Onward Kashiyama in conjunction with AWI and Acron of Lion Corporation, is a Fall/Winter '08 range of men's and sports clothes with sustainable credentials.

It will feature suits, jackets and knitwear made from high-quality Australian Merino.

The knitwear collection features the innovative Water Treatment (WT) Knitwear created by Acron of Lion Corporation, a treatment that enables buyers to wash the garments safely at home without damaging the look and feel, while easily removing water soluble dirt and perspiration.

As part of its commitment to the environment, Onward will also donate a percentage of proceeds from the sale of Australian Merino Field collection sold under the brands Gotairiku and J. Press, to Australian Landcare Management (ALMS).