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LATU promotes modernization in Uruguayan wool certification with proposal presented at IWTO 2025
The Technological Laboratory of Uruguay (LATU) actively participated in the Annual Congress of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), held in Lille, France, where it presented a key technical proposal for modernizing the wool certification system in Uruguay. The paper, titled "The Relationship Between Mean Fibre Diameter Measurements by Airflow and Laserscan for Uruguayan Wool," was developed by LATU's Department of Textiles, Raw Wool, Tops, and Leathers.
What is IWTO and why is it important?
IWTO is the international organization that regulates and promotes technical and commercial standards for the wool industry globally. Its annual congress brings together the leading actors of the sector—producers, laboratories, textile industries, and regulatory bodies—to discuss scientific, technological, and regulatory advancements. The 94th edition in 2025 gathered 286 participants representing over 170 companies from 28 countries across the global wool supply chain.
Held at the historic Palais des Congrès in Lille, the event served as a key space to discuss the harmonization of testing and certification methods among wool-producing countries, as well as networking and developing collective strategies to address both the challenges and opportunities facing the global wool industry.
The program covered key topics such as sustainable wool production, innovations in traceability, emerging market trends, and the increasing applications of wool in high-performance textiles and sustainable fashion, among others.
Delegates participated in working groups, roundtables, and networking events designed to foster collaboration across all sectors of the wool value chain.
Currently, LATU is one of only seven laboratories in the world—across five countries—and the only one in Uruguay and the Americas that holds an IWTO license to issue certificates. This has been possible because LATU has met all the requirements set by the organization, which include having accredited testing and sampling procedures under the ISO/IEC 17025 standard from internationally recognized bodies.
What Was LATU’s Proposal?
LATU proposed that Uruguay be allowed to certify the mean fiber diameter (MFD) of its wool using the Laserscan method (IWTO-12) exclusively, without the need for an accompanying Airflow measurement (IWTO-28), as currently required by international regulations for the country.
Laserscan is a device that measures the mean fiber diameter and the distribution of fiber diameters, while Airflow measures the mean fiber diameter of a wool sample using an air flow method.
Eliminating the need for double measurements would align Uruguay with major fine wool-producing countries, such as Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, that already use Laserscan as the standard method. Additionally, Laserscan offers technical advantages, such as the ability to provide additional information, like diameter variation, which is useful for textile processors.
What Was the Previous Approach?
Until now, IWTO regulations required that for export batch certification, all wool fiber diameter measurements in Uruguayan wool using Laserscan be accompanied by a certified Airflow measurement. This resulted in duplicate analyses, higher costs, and potential confusion in international trade, as other countries do not have this requirement.
How Was This Initiative Promoted?
The proposal arose from a technical study conducted by LATU on commercial lots of raw wool from the 2024-2025 season, certified by LATU. The study covered a range of diameters from 16 to 33 microns. The results showed a very high correlation between the two methods, with no significant bias, confirming their equivalence within the uncertainty margins accepted by IWTO.
This study was presented to the IWTO Technical Specifications Committee, with a concrete recommendation to modify the regulations to allow the exclusive use of Laserscan in Uruguay. After being evaluated and voted on during the Congress, the proposal was finally approved.
What Impact Could This Approval Have?
The approval of this proposal offers several benefits for the national wool industry:
- Cost Reduction: By eliminating the need to perform two analyses per batch.
- Increased Competitiveness: By facilitating direct comparison with wool from other countries.
- Better Information for the Industry: Thanks to the additional data provided by Laserscan.
- Simplification of International Trade: By removing differentiated requirements for Uruguay.
This initiative reaffirms LATU's commitment to innovation, quality, and continuous improvement in certification processes, supporting the country's productive sectors and, in this case, the sustainable development of the national sheep farming chain.
