Featured Member:

Loch Linnhe Polwarths

photo by Sophie Scott (Associate Member)

Featured Member (photo by Jan McKenzie):

Welcome to the New Zealand Wool Classers Association

Fostering and supporting quality education, harvesting and presentation standards in the wool industry.

Our role in the wool harvesting industry is to promote a high standard of wool classing & wool preparation. To achieve this outcome we maintain a register of qualified classers, hold field days, communicate through newsletters, email, Facebook and this website. NZWCA also maintains a strong role in promoting education for the wool industry.

Latest News:

Wanaka Show fleece competition

A reminder for wool classers from Fe Howie, Livestock Manager, Wanaka A&P Show “As shearing season reaches its peak, it’s the perfect time to choose your show fleeces and set them aside for the 2026 Wanaka A&P Show. This prestigious event uses industry-standard testing to ensure your fleece is evaluated against market relevant benchmarks—giving you full confidence in the quality Read more...

July 2025 Newsletter

Please read our latest Industry newsletter Read more...

Videos from Industry Day 2025

Several sessions from the 2025 Industry Day were videoed, and you can watch them right here on the website. Read more...

More News

Search our Members:

Find Available Classers & Graders

Shed Report Forms

Health & Safety

Education & Scholarships

Classer Awards Nomination Form

NZWCA – a home for all involved in wool growing, handling, grading and classing

System Integrity

Maintain NZ’s only register of qualified classers and graders

A simple check on our website verifies stencil validity

Convene standards review process, compliance, oversee professional development

Photo by Andrew McNeill

Quality Assurance

NZWCA members who keep their registration valid are engaged and informed; their work carries quality assurance status

Setting consistently high standards for classing, grading and preparation of wool

Photo by Marg Forde

Advocacy and Education

Industry-good organization, annual awards, regular communication via website, email and social media

Demonstrable history of commitment to ensuring quality wool education and training is available

Maintain good relationships with wider wool industry as an independent organisation

Photo by Marg Forde

Keeping your NZWCA membership current is considered a professional obligation for NZ classers and graders.

The letter prefix and number which together make the one-off combination that is a registered "Kiwi stencil" is unique and is to be used only by the person it was issued to. A classer/grader can only use this if they keep their NZWCA membership valid.

Invoices for the 2022/23 year were sent out in February. If you haven't received one, want to use your stencil this season whilst also contributing to the integrity of the NZ wool industry's only classer registration system please message us on this website or email secretary@woolclassers.org.nz.

If you have your stencil, and you are wondering why you should keep your membership current, have a read of this (first published in the NZWCA Dec 2021 newsletter):

https://woolclassers.org.nz/.../11/November-Newsletter.pdf

Specifically, this article: I AM FEELING A BIT GRUMPY! BY DON URQUHART M486

Examples of foreign articles found in wool bales, on display at the Christchurch Field Days.

This photo shows us the major problem that the industry has with foreign articles turning up in bales of wool at our local wool scours. No doubt wool shipped greasy will contain the same foreign articles.

In the past this unnecessary problem has caused a number of issues that include damage to wool scour machinery and contamination of wool products going through the manufacturing process. When these contaminates such as clothing, towels or plastic go through to the manufacturing stage it can create financial claims back to the Buyer/Scour.

This is a problem we all can fix by being observant in our workplace and recognising contamination problems before they arise.

STOP PRESS: BRANDS

All brands are to be removed from wool and kept separate. Last season some branding products were not scourable and created large financial claims and in some cases, wool could not be sold.

Sonya Johansen, A1099