Excited Australian wool chiefs on Monday launched a machine washable suit in the domestic market ahead of its international debut in the lucrative US market in the not too distant future.

Officials from Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), the industry''s research and marketing body, said the suit is the result of two years of research conjunction with commercial partner, Berkeley Apparel, a large Australian suit manufacturer.

The suit is made from 60 per cent wool and 40 per cent polyester and does not need dry-cleaning as the finished garment has been tested to survive up to 50 washes. It will retail at clothing chain David Jones for around A$529. "This project is a major breakthrough for each of the organisations involved," says AWI CEO, Dr Len Stephens. "We''re thrilled that the machine washable woollen suit has arrived in-store." "AWI will receive a royalty from the sale of every suit which will help provide a sustainable revenue stream for more of our wool research, development and innovation."

He added the group will assess the sales of the suit in David Jones in Australia and seek interested international partners next year.