A Travel Report Presented to RIRDC
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A Travel Report presented to RIRDC The 3rd International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposium, China Dr. B. A. McGregor July 2006 Pub No 06/096 © 2006 RIRDC All rights reserved. Travel Report: The 3rd International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposium The views expressed and the conclusions reached in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of persons consulted. RIRDC shall not be responsible in any way whatsoever to any person who relies in whole or in part on the contents of this report. This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. This publication is copyright. Copyright in the photographs belongs to the Author. However, RIRDC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Corporation is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquires concerning reproduction, contact the Publications Manager on phone 02 6272 3186. Contact Details Dr. Bruce McGregor, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Department of Primary Industries, Attwood Centre, 475 Mickleham Rd, Attwood, Victoria, 3049, Australia. Phone: 03 9217 4200 Fax: 03 9217 4299 Email: [email protected] RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 215 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6272 4539 Fax: 02 6272 5877 Email: [email protected]. Website: http://www.rirdc.gov.au Cover Photos: Views of the Erdos Cashmere Group Industrial Park containing two floors of show rooms and the Tianjiao Hotel where the Conference was held. Published on the internet in July 2006 RIRDC Pub. No. 06/096 ISBN 1 74151 359 6 ISSN 1440-6845 ii Summary China and the region of Inner Mongolia is the world leader at producing and processing cashmere. The largest and best cashmere goat breeding farms are located on grasslands in Inner Mongolia. Many leading cashmere processing companies have relocated from Europe and Japan by establishing joint venture companies with the latest modern equipment. Travel was undertaken to: 1. Visit the leading cashmere processing company Erdos Cashmere Group, Eerduosi City, Inner Mongolia. 2. Inspect the facilities of the China National Engineering and Technology Research Centre for Cashmere Products. 3. Attend the 3rd International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposium. 4. Present scientific papers on Australian cashmere research. 5. Establish dialogue about cashmere research with the aim of establishing professional contact for joint research and further interchange of knowledge and skills. The conference scientific presentations were attended by 115 scientists with 65 registered for the cashmere determination and measurement workshop. The author prepared four scientific papers addressing priority issues for the conference and three were presented. Important presentations by Chinese scientists addressed the critical issue of cashmere fundamental fibre surface properties. New knowledge in classifying cashmere fibre morphology was explained. New potential methods were also discussed but need further research. The evidence for a new test method for determining pilling propensity in cashmere fabrics was presented. New proposals for measuring cashmere crimp and cashmere fibre length were made by this author. Suggestions to overcome marketing difficulties of Chinese cashmere were also made. Very informative visits were made to the new China National Engineering and Technology Research Centre, to the Erdos Cashmere Group Industrial Park and associated subsidiaries and to the Inner Mogolia Arbls White Cashmere Goat Breeding Station situated 235 km west of Eerduosi City. Benefits include the following: 1. Opportunity to publish cashmere research in the best international cashmere forum. 2. Exposure of Australian science and technology to the Chinese cashmere industry. 3. Networking with leading Chinese and International cashmere textile scientists with a good potential to establish further working contacts and collaboration. 4. Up date on developments in cashmere textile and measurement science. 5. Learning opportunity on new processing methods and equipment. 6. Production update from one of the leading cashmere studs in Inner Mongolia. The following activities are recommended: 1. Maintain awareness of future International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposia and make plans to attend. 2. Encourage submission of technical papers to future International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposia. 3. Develop opportunities for future research collaboration. 4. Consider hosting visits by Chinese scientists if they visit Australia for other functions such as IWTO meetings. iii Acknowledgments The Victorian Department of Primary Industries is thanked for providing approval for Dr. B. McGregor to undertake the study tour. Staff of Erdos Cashmere Group Ltd is thanked for making the author very welcome during his stay in China. Ms Meng Linghong (Cathy) has been thanked for being a very efficient and skillful translator. Erdos Cashmere Group Ltd is also thanked for translating English scientific papers into Chinese. About the author As a Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Bruce McGregor B.Agr.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D., Advanced Cert. Textile Technology, has focussed on improving the production and quality of speciality animal fibres. His long interest in the marketing and processing of natural fibres has included Ph.D. studies focussed on the quality of cashmere and its influence on textile materials produced from cashmere and blends with superfine (16 µm) wool. His interests include nutrition and farm management, fibre quality, fibre production and textile quality. He has published a number of other RIRDC reports that are available on the RIRDC internet site. iv Contents Summary............................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................iv Chapter 1 Objectives of visit...............................................................................1 1.1 Background....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Objectives............................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Project Itinerary ................................................................................................................ 2 Chapter 2 The 3rd International Cashmere Determination Technique Symposium ...........................................................................................................3 2.1 Background....................................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Presentations by grantee.........................................................................................................3 2.1.2 Other presentations.................................................................................................................3 2.1.2.1 Identification of cashmere fundamental fibre surface properties .....................................3 2.1.2.2 Pilling in cashmere ...........................................................................................................7 2.1.2.3 Fibre length measurement ................................................................................................8 2.1.2.4 Cashmere marketing.........................................................................................................9 2.2 Erdos Cashmere Group Co. Ltd...................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Industrial Park Eerduosi City ...............................................................................................12 2.2.2 Rural supply networks...........................................................................................................14 2.3 Inner Mogolia Arbls White Cashmere Goat Breeding Station....................................... 15 Chapter 3 Benefits and significance.................................................................18 3.1 Benefits to grantee for his work ..................................................................................... 18 3.2 Benefits for the Australian cashmere industry ............................................................... 18 3.3 Recommendations to RIRDC and the industry ............................................................. 18 Chapter 4 Papers presented at conference......................................................19 THE OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF CASHMERE FIBRE CRIMP USING FIBRE CURVATURE...................................................................................................................... 20 PILLING AND APPEARANCE CHANGE OF WORSTED SPUN CASHMERE KNITWEAR – A COMPARISON OF THE ICI PILLBOX AND THE RANDOM TUMBLE METHODS.......................................................................................................... 24 MEASURING PROCESSED CASHMERE LENGTH AND DIAMETER WITH THE OFDA4000 AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO MEASUREMENT OF LENGTH BY ALMETER ..........................................................................................................................