Godfrey Hirst Drops Damages Claims Against Bremworth

Media release1 August 2022
World’s Largest Flooring Company Drops Damages Claims Against Kiwi Wool Carpet
Brand
GodfreyHirsthasabandoneditsclaimfordamagesandagreedtoprovidedetailsofitsown
advertisingcampaignsafteritacknowledgedduringaHighCourthearingthatithadnot
provided all documents relevant to the case.
ThehearingfollowsanongoingDavidversusGoliathbattlewithGodfreyHirstattemptingto
prevent NZ owned Bremworth making specific claims about the benefits of wool carpets.
GodfreyHirstisownedbytheworld’slargestflooringcompany,MohawkIndustries,whoalso
ownstheFeltexbrand.ListedontheNewYorkStockExchange,Mohawkhasannual
revenuesinexcessofUS$11.2bnandhasasignificantshareoftheplastic-basedsynthetic
carpet market.
1
In2020Bremworth,whichhasmanufacturingfacilitiesinNapier,Whanganuiand
Papatoetoe,adoptedanewstrategywhichsawitshiftto100%NZwoolfibresforthe
production of wool carpets.
ThemovehasbeenseenasasignificantboostforNewZealand’sagriculturalsectorand
potentiallythecountry’sexportrevenuesatatimewhenwoolsaleshadslumped.
Bremworthhasalsoreduceditsownconsumptionofimportedplasticrawmaterialsby
approximately 2,500 tonnes per annum.
WhilelatestGovernmentdatashowsthevalueofNewZealand’swoolproductexports,of
whichmostiscarpet,hasfallenby44%overthepastsixyears,therearepositivesignsfor
the industry with forecasts projecting a 10% increase in export revenue for 2023.
2
2
Ministry for Primary Industries. Availablehere.
1
Mohawk Industries. Accessiblehere.

GodfreyHirstbroughtacaseagainstBremworthsayingtheNZcompany’sclaimsaround
woolcarpetsbeing"betterfortheenvironment"andthataswitchfromsyntheticstoallwool
carpets is "changing for good" are misleading.
ThiswasdespiteGodfreyHirstmakingsimilarclaims,includingthattheypridethemselves
on making the most environmentally friendly carpet on the planet.
Aspartofthelegalprocess,Bremworth’scounselrequestedthatGodfreyHirstprovide
copiesofitsownadvertisingalongwithdetailsofGodfreyHirst'sengagementwiththe
CommerceCommissionpriortobringingitsclaim(theCommissiontooknoenforcement
action) and what Godfrey Hirst had been communicating to the industry.
AtthehearingbeforeAssociateJudgeJohnston,GodfreyHirstacknowledgedithadfailedto
provide all of its relevant advertising.
ThroughitslegalcounselGodfreyHirstsaiditwouldbeprovidingtheadvertisingatafuture
date, however, the company would be dropping its damages claim against Bremworth.
GregSmith,BremworthCEO,saysthecompany,whichhasbeenvotedNewZealand’smost
trustedcarpetbrand,standsbyits“Let’sGoGoodTogether”campaignwhichdoesnotin
any way mislead NZ consumers.
Smithsayshebelievesthatwoolcarpetsarenotonlythebestfordesignandperformance
on the floor, wool fibre is also NZ grown, natural, biodegradable and renewable.
“NewZealand’swoolindustryhasstruggledinrecentdecadesagainstthebackdropof
cheapersyntheticalternatives,buttheworldischangingandweareconfidentour
homegrown wool is the natural solution to imported synthetic carpet fibres.
“Ourresearchshowsmoreconsumersseethebenefitsofwool,howeverwestillhavea
significantamountofworktodotoprovidethefarmingsectorwiththereassurancethey
need to remain committed to the industry in the long term.
“Rebuildingthedomesticandexportindustryandeducatingthemarketrequiresasignificant
investment and our full attention - which this court action is an obvious diversion away from.
“AsacompanyweremaincommittedtosupportingNewZealand’swoolsectorandworking
to promote the lifestyle and design benefits of this natural fibre.

“Wefirmlybelieveitisaconsumer’srighttomakeaninformedchoicebetweenwool
products and synthetic alternatives which are essentially plastic,” he says.
-ENDS-
For images please seehere
Distributed on behalf of Bremworth byImpact PR. Forfurther information or images, please contact
Mark Devlinmark@impactpr.co.nz(021509060)