Why Wool? -Because at the end of the party it has the good grace to leave.

Wool has qualities that man can only dream of recreating. The first attempt was made in 1855 and we’ve been trying in vain ever since. Not only does wool wick moisture and retain heat (and all those other good things we have come to associate with wool), but it also has the good grace to rot away harmlessly into the environment when it is finally done (to be clear: I have *never* seen a sheepskin reach the end of useful life).

Campaigners from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation found a full bin-lorry of man made fabrics is being dumped or burned every second of every day. Much of this waste comes from wool replacement materials.

All Dartmoor Sheepskins come as waste from the meat industry. Less than one in two hundred sheepskins are tanned (the rest are landfill, or burned). To further compound the illogic of this we then extract oil from the ground and make plastic fur out of it. This causes a multitude of problems, including microfibers in our own bodies.

At the end of its useful life, wool can be returned to the soil, or the marine environment where it decomposes, releasing valuable nitrogen-based nutrients into the ground/ocean.

– Campaign For Wool

Green, in unexpected ways

Step forward the Campaign for Wool with a series of short videos extolling the virtues of wool vs its synthetic counterpart. Take a look, we’ve worked with sheepskins for years and some of these videos surprised us. More available on the Campaign for Wool YouTube page.

Wool is a hygroscopic fibre. As the humidity of the surrounding air rises and falls, the fibre absorbs and releases water vapour. Heat is generated and retained during the absorption phase, which makes wool a natural insulator. Used in the home, wool insulation helps to reduce energy costs and prevents the loss of energy to the external environment, thus reducing carbon emissions.

– Campaign For Wool

If you are already in love with natural fibers you may want to check out our specialist subject, and if that is your thing, you may like our range of natural plant dyes too! Keep it real – keep it wool.