The Merino Company (TMC) is now in its fifth year of operation and three years ago partnered with Lempriere Fox and Lillie (LFL) to develop the Merino Advantage and X-Bred Advantage marketing initiatives.

Speaking at a 'Wool Growing with a Future' seminar at St George yesterday, LFL managing director Jonathan Lillie outlined how these wool marketing initiatives provide growers the opportunity to step away from the volatility of the commodity market and to benefit from a marketing initiative tailored specifically for their wool that delivers long-term stable and sustainable returns.

The Merino Company chief executive officer Mark Mackinnon spoke about the company's program performance to date, which provided an insight into how TMC markets wool to customers around the globe and highlighted the demand for wool by the best retail brands, as well as discussing exciting new developments over the past three years.

Exciting maybe an understatement after Melbourne-based fashion brand called Metalicus recently became a buyer of TMC products.

Metalicus now uses TMC wool in some of its major women’s clothing ranges, which are designed by Melbourne based fashion guru Melma Hamersfeld.

All of the garments are based on thin, stretchy, stocking fabric fashions that can be worn alone or as foundation blocks under other clothing.

Mr Mackinnon said TMC is an innovative manufacturing and marketing firm offering customers (retailers, apparel and textile brands) around the world targeted solutions to meet their specific wool, fabric and garment requirements, by working closely with leading wool growers.

"The Merino Advantage and X-Bred Advantage pools aim to achieve long-term stable and sustainable returns for participating wool growers by building long-term relationships with customers who sell wool based products to the final consumer," Mr Mackinnon said.

* A full report from the St George seminar will appear in Queensland Country Life, July 3 issue.