Loro Piana announces new world record for exceptionally fine Merino wool fiber

The 24th and 25th editions of the Loro Piana Record Bale Award, which recognizes farmers who produce the finest bale of Merino wool, took place on February 1 in London.  

The Australian 2023 Loro Piana World Record Bale Award went to the Pyreness Park farm and breeders Pamela, Robert, and Bradley Sandlant, who succeeded in producing a Merino wool fiber of just 10.2 microns, surpassing the 2013 record of 10.3 microns. This extraordinary result bears witness to the breeders’ unceasing dedication to producing ever finer wool with continually better performance. The New Zealand 2023 Loro Piana Record Bale Award was presented to Barrie and Yvonne Payne of  Visuela Farm. 

The awards ceremony was hosted by Damien Bertrand, CEO of Loro Piana, and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, Deputy Chairman of the Maison, a pioneer who has long championed the quest for the finest Merino wool.  

Timeless and precious, unique and exclusive, the exceptional record Bale wool garments have a special label that documents their traceability, from the year the animal was shorn to its origin, as well as the fiber’s micron. The Loro Piana Record Bale Award reflects the Maison’s commitment to sourcing the world’s finest wool and its unwavering dedication to exceptional quality, the quintessence of luxury.  

The first award was attributed in 1997, and breeders in Australia and New Zealand have since competed to achieve the best Merino wools. The Record Bale prize is given every year to the farms that produce the two finest bales during the year. Of the four million bales selected each year, only a handful qualify for the final prize. The bale that succeeds in beating the existing record for quality and fineness is named the World Record Bale. The record Bale is not an end in itself but a catalyst to encourage wool breeders to continually set even higher standards and grow the finest and the best quality wool.