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Wools of New Zealand has taken manufacturing offshore to beat the price and scale that synthetic carpet manufacturers can offer consumers. Chief Executive John McWhirter says the company now has carpets manufactured in Turkey and has also launched a woollen tile for the flooring industry, manufactured by an American company at a plant based in Thailand. Products made overseas at scale and cheaper can be brought back to New Zealand and sold to New Zealanders at a better price. John McWhirter says over the last 30 years the supply chain for strong wool products has been losing momentum. Back in 1996, synthetic carpet made up less than 15% of New Zealand’s carpet market – with wool carpet at 85%.