Humans have selectively bred sheep to maximise the amount of wool they carry. Sheep have been domesticated for an extended part of human history but didn’t start as they are now. As long as it’s not superwash wool, which is coated in plastic.īut wool comes with a host of environmental costs and ethical issues-let’s take a look. That means once a woollen garment is worn out, you can bury it in the ground, and it will eventually compost. It decomposes readily, much like cotton and other plant-based fibres. Wool has an ability-similar to Tencel-to react to changes in the body’s temperature, meaning it keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter.Wool is breathable and a natural insulator.The world has been shocked by countless undercover exposés revealing painful mulesing and tail docking, two “surgical” practices legally performed with tools like knives, often with no pain relief.īut are these practices all we need to avoid for wool to be ethical? And how does wool production impact the world around us? Why do we wear wool? A few years ago, ethical outdoor clothing company Patagonia discovered animal cruelty practices in what they had believed were ethical farms. More and more investigations of the wool industry have found this picturesque ideal far from the truth. Unfortunately, the reality is far more complex. It seems as though the wool industry is mutually beneficial: sheep are cared for, we get warm woolly clothes. We imagine they’re rounded up every so often for a haircut which, if done with care, is an essential part of the life of a sheep. ![]() ![]() ![]() The wool industry has a fairly wholesome image, which we take comfort in, too, as we picture well cared for sheep, roaming rolling hills. So, how sustainable and ethical is wool? A woolly topic But it’s not as simple as shearing happy sheep-the reality is a complex supply chain that presents a host of animal welfare and environmental concerns. Wool is a go-to fabric for warm and comfortable clothes.
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