Warragul firm helps business to award final

The manufacturing skills of a Warragul firm has helped a Bairnsdale business to the final of the 2020 Food and Fibre Gippsland Excellence in Agribusiness Awards.

Aussie Wool Comfort of Warragul manufactures a boutique wool bedding range for Forge Creek Lamb from wool sourced from its sheep and marketed under the Our Wool Naturally brand.

Drought and a 40 per cent drop in the price of raw fleeces inspired fourth generation owners of Forge Creek Lamb, Neil and Angela Stringer, to diversify and learn new skills for their sheep and wool business.

Part of the diversification was a collaboration with Aussie Wool Comfort to make a bedding range.

Aussie Wool Comfort, initially established at Warragul more than 30 years ago, was bought by Andrew and Catriona Ronalds five years ago.

Ms Ronalds described the collaboration with Forge Creek Lamb as a “great relationship between like-minded people”.

Our ethos at Aussie Wool Comfort is to produce chemical free and all natural products from wool and cotton, she said.

Ms Ronalds said the Warragul factory’s products including quilts, bed linen, under blankets, pillows and pillow protectors, were now sold throughout Australia and in many overseas countries.

Support from the local community has also been great, she said.

Employing 10 people Aussie Wool Comfort’s growth has it now on the move to larger premises in Albert Rd, Warragul, after outgrowing the Queen St factory from which it had operated for many years.

At Bairnsdale Neil and Angela Stringer, who took over the family business four years ago, report strong online sales of the products manufactured at Warragul, king size summer doonas particularly popular and regularly sold out within a fortnight of being stocked.

Winners of the Food and Fibre Gippsland Excellence in Agribusiness Awards will be announced on Friday.