WOOL – Enjoy the benefits of WOOL #7
Wool is an amazing fibre, and to enjoy some of the great benefits wool - we need to be aware of what these actually are. In this 7th post in our series of “Enjoy the benefits of WOOL”, we will be focusing on the benefits that comes along with using wool fibre in your garment production, and how wool fit into the circular economy.
WOOL IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Over production and over consumption in the textile and fashion industries create unsustainable amounts of pollution.
Today the textile and fashion industries produce between 80-150 billion garments annually. Fast fashion results in 11kg of textiles discarded per person per year. Less than 1% is recycled into new products, and most recycling of textiles goes to lower-value applications.
To change the textile industry's method of production from a wasteful linear model towards a sustainable circular model, there is a global push – led by the European Union – to adopt a circular economy.
The circular economy is based on four principles, highlighted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation:
?1. Using renewable resources;
2. Designing out waste and pollution;
3. Keeping products and materials in use for a long time; and
4. Regenerating natural systems.
Wool offers a solution for brands, designers, and manufacturers looking to shift into a circular business model and create circular products.
A NATURALLY CIRCULAR FIBRE
The inherently circular nature of wool includes: wool being a renewable raw material grown by sheep, high levels of reuse and recycling of wool products and biodegradability when the fibre’s nutrients are returned to the soil for use again. This is more than just recycling; it is true circularity. Growing wool has the potential to sequester large amounts of carbon and enhance biodiversity. Additionally, the wool fibre doesn’t shed microplastics, in contrast to synthetic fibres which is a significant issue for the textile industry.
PRODUCT USE PHASE OF WOOL GARMENTS
Wool is kept for longer
How often clothes are worn is the most influential factor in determining environmental impacts from clothing. Wool garments are, on average, kept in use for longer periods of time than garments made from other fibre types.
Wool is washed less
Wool is odour, stain and wrinkle resistant. This means that consumers wash wool clothing less frequently than clothing made from other fibres, at lower temperatures and more often line dry than tumble dry, thereby saving water, energy and detergent associated with laundering.?
领英推荐
Wool has high reuse and recycle value
The wool industry is unique in having had a commercially profitable recycling pathway for more than 200 years, turning old, exhausted garments into new wool products. Wool’s attributes are so highly valued that, even after a garment has finished its long service life with one person, the fibre is still suitable to be kept in use via three further ways:
1st life extension – Reuse: Wool is one of the most reused fibre on the planet of the major apparel fibres, with wool garments often preferentially donated or sold for extended life. According to a Nielsen wardrobe study, 50% of wool and wool blend garments owned by survey participants were donated to charity, family, friends or sold.
2nd life extension – ‘Closed loop’ recycling: This involves deconstructing high-value wool garments to enable new yarns to be spun and new high-value garments fabricated. Wool is the most recyclable fibre on the planet of the major apparel fibres.
3rd life extension – ‘Open loop’ recycling: This is essentially ‘down cycling’, in which wool products are pulled apart and fabricated into cheaper non-woven products for insulation, padding, interiors etc. Wool is highly valued for these purposes because of its inherent flame resistance, and acoustic and thermal insulation properties.
PRODUCT DISPOSAL
Wool is a 100% biodegradable fibre in both terrestrial and marine environments, slowly releasing valuable nutrients and carbon back into the earth. This biodegrading does not contribute to microplastic pollution. For further information see our Wool is 100% biodegradable fact sheet:
?
For facts check and to learn even more
Do not hesitate to find facts check for this newsletter, plus download Wool Facts sheet at our friends from The Woolmark Company:
?
You want to get the benefits of wool in your own production?
At Private Label by JBS Textile Group, we have a broad range and extensive program of wool products for socks, underwear, accessories, baselayer, midlayer and outerlayer.
Do not hesitate to reach out to me at?[email protected] ?- if you want to hear more about how we can assist you with amazing wool products.
?
About Private Label By JBS Textile Group
JBS Textile Group is a family-owned business founded in 1939. We develop and produce Private Label collections in close collaboration with major customers. JBS HQ is located in Denmark, and we have 4 fully owned factories in Lithuania and Ukraine. We currently also boast a total of 20 own brands.
Read more about all the possibilities in Private Label:?Private Label - JBS (Engelsk) ( jbstextilegroup.com