Aussie textile brand, Codu, introduced its brand-new NZ and Merino Wool throw ranges at the gift fair in Sydney, featuring some of the latest weaves to hit the market globally.
It also showcased its recently launched Oxford and Cambridge collections for 2023 autumn/winter.
“Oxford is a premium merino wool blended product in a range of classic colours, super soft to touch, with a very subtle weave,” says co-founder Marcus Alexander.
“Cambridge is a 100 per cent New Zealand wool throw and it has a stunning textured finish, and of course is also available in a range of colours.”
Feedback to the new collections at the fair has been amazing, which is great for a brand that was only started a few years ago after a trip overseas.
“My co-founders Ilya and Emily were getting married in Ukraine, so we all went over for the wedding.
“Coming from a career of more than 12 years in big box home improvement, I had to visit their local hardware store, to see how they went about it. I was excited to find that wool product was high in demand for the domestic market. I knew straight away that Australia’s obsession with wool would mean everyone would fall in love with this range.
“From there, we developed our own unique blends, colours and designs. Fittingly, Emily, Ilya and myself teamed up to officially launch Codu in January 2020,” Alexander enthuses.
Codu’s wool is processed in Ukraine, a place that is close to the founders’ hearts.
“We are loyal to doing business with Ukraine for many reasons. Ilya was born there, before his family moved to Australia on his second birthday. Also, as previously mentioned, Odessa, Ukraine was the special place that hosted Ilya and Emily’s magical wedding.
“The people of Ukraine are incredibly warm, genuine and are very hospitable and welcoming.
“There is significant demand for wool for functional purposes in Eastern Europe, so it made it a great place to access raw materials. We’re also impressed by the quality that can be achieved with European made product.”
With the current war in Ukraine, the team behind Codu has remained committed to the country and its manufacturing.
“In the initial stages of the attacks on Ukraine, there was some uncertainty around how to continue production in the circumstances, but with time, staff gained the confidence to return to the mill and it was business as usual.
“As with many businesses facing strategic supply chain diversification challenges, we plan to add diversity by bringing in additional ranges from other Baltic countries. Where possible, we will continue to source new and exciting products from Ukraine. We have worked intensively with our mill to develop our ranges and we have local Codu staff on the ground in Ukraine, ensuring we can innovate quickly.”
