Introduction

In this episode Andy Caughey, Managing Director of Armadillo Merino, talks about how he founded the business, what key challenges he had to overcome and how he managed to get his Armadillo Merino t-shirts into space. Andy Caughey explains his view on how wool products are multi-attribute products and once consumer understand a wool products they are customers for life.

About Andy Caughey from Armadillo Merino

Andy is a New Zealander and was born into wool. He was raised on a sheep station in West Otago before studying international commerce and marketing at Lincoln University. Andy left New Zealand in 1988 to champion wool internationally. By executing growth strategies with the New Zealand Merino Company, Ibex Outdoor Clothing and John Smedley he has actively promoted the unique performance attributes of wool and commercially linked fashion brands through the value chain back to wool producers. Armadillo Merino® was launched in 2011 in response to the injuries being inflicted on soldiers and first responders from wearing synthetics next-to-skin. Armadillo Merino® designs and manufactures skin-side clothing that is now being worn by professionals operating in high risk and extreme environments including astronauts, special forces, firefighters and other remarkable first responders.