About Jemala

“It is quality rather than quantity that matters.”
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Jemala is about excellence. It permeates our culture and as a consequence, our products. We did not achieve this excellence easily; it came from years of continual research and development.

Jemala started following on from our success in ultrafine wool production, where we equalled the World record for the finest bale of wool ever produced. This event introduced us to European luxury, where few asked the price of a garment, or accessory; the focus was on quality. Always quality. (About)

We collaborated with the CSIRO to find how to process this incredibly fine fibre. Once we had overcome this hurdle, we set about locating the best artisans in the World to collaborate with to start making sweaters and shawls. This meant further research, optimising our yarns to knit on the finest knitting machines and to weave with the best shawl weavers. For some time now, we have been producing the finest woollen sweaters and the finest woollen shawls in existence. These products are now worn by royalty, heads of state and many celebrities. (About)

Having excellence as our core philosophy, we have continuously maintained our research and development and have recently developed an exciting new range of products made from a silk-wool blend that we call Warmsilk®; the products are spectacular as Warmsilk outperforms pure silk on several levels. We have also introduced ultrafine active-wear into our range. Please have a browse of our site; we have surprises about on almost every page.

Who Is Jemala

Our Mission

Passion and enthusiasm to produce the best in the world drives all who have come into contact with Jemala. This applies particularly to the family who runs Jemala. All members of the Gill family believe that woolgrowers, who concentrate on quality rather than quantity, will be the long-term success stories of the wool industry. The people involved in, and with Jemala, have a common ethos and a commitment to quality and satisfaction in delivering this quality onwards.

Our Philosophy

The focus of the whole Jemala enterprise is on quality, which brings with it a focus on our way of viewing the world. To do everything to the best of our ability, to take criticism as a stimulant, to encompass a philosophical approach and to understand the word “quality” (as espoused by Robert Pirsig, in his timeless book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”), as a bridge between the worlds of science and art, is an interesting and stimulating challenge.

Our Promise

All the way along the process, from Ultrafine Saxon Merino wool to Ultrafine Apparel, quality is the guiding force. In producing the world’s record for the finest bale of wool, there was no room for compromise on quality. Production is small, because of the quality and rarity of the end product.

Characteristics

Jemala, The Golden Fibre®, is a rare natural fibre produced under chemical free conditions. Jemala has no comparable natural fibre. Jemala yarn’s prime attribute is its rarity. Shah Toosh and Vicuna are both encountering prohibition problems in world trade. Neither matches the unique characteristics of Jemala.

Produced by some of Australia’s finest Ultrafine Saxon Merinos, Jemala – The Golden Fibre’s raw product is transformed into exquisite “Top” with a hauteur of 62 millimetres (nearly twice as long as cashmere) and spun to Jemala – The Golden Fibre’s exacting specifications by the most reputable spinners in Italy.

Jemala – The Golden Fibre yarn boasts an impressive list of features:

· Rare
· Soft
· Finer and purer than cashmere – no trouble with guard hairs.
· Lustrous, bright and white,
· Much longer, stronger and more even than any natural comparable fibres.
· Extremely flexible and elastic
· Superior handle and extremely low rates of shrinkage and felting.
· Natural and biodegradable.
· Moisture absorbent.
· Fire resistant
· Durable
· Sensuous when worn next to the skin

Achievements

1996: Champion fleece and Most Valuable fleece, Benalla A&P Spring Show
1997: 1PP bale (highest rating awarded) purchased by Filatura Fontinella, Italy (About)
1999: Jemala™ gown, by designer Angela Padua, runner-up cocktails section, Australian Gown of the Year
2000: Jemala™ fleece selected for official Woolmark display at the 27^th Olympiad in Sydney
2002: Jemala™ bale, equal world record bale, sold for 120,000 cents per kilogram
2002: Jemala™ gown, by designer Judy Bond, winner Australian Wool Fashion Awards
2007: Queen Elizabeth II accepts a Jemala™ twin set

Meet Our Team

Phyllis & Ian Gill

Phyllis (dec. 11/08/2014) and Ian have extensive backgrounds in the field of education, but have always had a close affinity with the land, since Ian graduated with honours from Dookie Agricultural College in 1958. Combining Phyllis’s innate ability to judge good quality stock, and Ian’s flair for progressive and lateral thinking, the two of them have always been at the cutting edge of agricultural pursuits. Ian and Phyllis Gill settled in Benalla, Victoria, in 1985. Benalla, “The Rose City”, is the gateway to the Victorian Alps and the wine growing areas of North East Victoria.

Jeffrey Gill

Jeffrey is a postdoctoral research scientist and ensures that Jema remains at the forefront of trends in animal production and breeding technologies, through Jemala’s sister company, Jema Genetics.

Matthew Gill

Matthew is a fully qualified wool-classer, and has completed the specialist Superfine Wool-classer Course run by Canberra Institute of Technology, under the auspices of the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association. Matt has also completed a postgraduate business management course at Deakin University. He is able to advise and help guide the company’s directions for the future, ensuring that budgets and financial strategies are adhered to. Matthew’s wife, Bev, is also a qualified wool-classer and performs many of the routine procedures that are integral to the production of our high quality product.