What is the difference between a Test Report and a Test Certificate?

In terms of testing procedures, there are no differences. AWTA Ltd applies the full IWTO Test Specifications in both cases, and the same quality control systems are also used.

The sole difference between a Report and a Certificate is that the wool submitted for the certification process has been sampled under AWTA Ltd supervision. An AWTA Ltd employee ensures that the sample is taken correctly and that the bale markings are recorded correctly and bale weights are accurate and also recorded correctly.

Therefore, users of AWTA Ltd Certificates can be confident of the integrity of the samples and of all the data recorded at the time of sampling. The existing wool pipeline relies completely on this confidence, as AWTA Ltd Certificates are the basis for exchange of ownership.

For Test Reports, samples are not taken under AWTA Ltd supervision. Generally they are taken by the seller or by another party. Where exchange of ownership occurs on this basis, it is by agreement between the buyer and the seller. AWTA Ltd will only guarantee the integrity of the testing of such samples. It does not guarantee the integrity of the sample or any associated data.

Although AWTA Ltd can provide Test Reports that include bale weights, and therefore processing yields, it is only in rare circumstances that the bale weights are actually provided by the client with the sample.