WOOL HAS been one of the most widely used natural fibres across the world for thousands of years, thanks to its versatility, availability and unique characteristics.
Because it has environmentally friendly properties which encourage a circular cycle in returning to the earth through a natural process of biodegrading, the popularity of wool, many would assume, would be at a premium. However, as The Campaign for Wool’s new documentary film highlights, the harsh reality over time has been an overall decline in the use of many natural fibres including wool. Since the development and widescale use of manmade fibres such as petroleum-derived polyester, 69% of the world’s fibre production now comprises of synthetic oil-based materials, and only 1% is wool, according to The Campaign’s research.
Encouragingly, though, as this film explains, a movement is gaining pace to promote the use of wool as an integral component for improving the future of our planet. This is due to a growing video release, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, as patron of The Campaign for Wool, describes the urgency and importance in choosing wool, with an emphasis on the benefit it can bring to the environment. “It is abundantly clear to me that we need to make changes to the way we think about the production, use and the disposal of clothing and textiles if we are going to get anywhere near to meeting the United Nations climate change goals set for the industry,” he says.
