Wool - Revision history

MichaelaRudolph: /* Benefits */

2015-04-24T11:19:43Z

‎Benefits

MichaelaRudolph: /* Benefits */

2015-04-02T06:15:10Z

‎Benefits

MichaelaRudolph: /* Benefits */

2015-04-01T15:06:14Z

‎Benefits

MichaelaRudolph at 13:33, 1 April 2015

2015-04-01T13:33:56Z

MichaelaRudolph at 13:26, 1 April 2015

2015-04-01T13:26:43Z

MichaelaRudolph: /* Optimize sustainability benefits */

2015-04-01T13:19:18Z

‎Optimize sustainability benefits

MichaelaRudolph at 13:16, 1 April 2015

2015-04-01T13:16:40Z

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MichaelaRudolph: Created page with "Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including goats, rabbits, sheep and camels. Wool fibre has inherent sustainability attributes. It is a..."

2015-04-01T11:07:30Z

Created page with "Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including goats, rabbits, sheep and camels. Wool fibre has inherent sustainability attributes. It is a..."

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Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including goats, rabbits, sheep and camels. Wool fibre has inherent sustainability attributes. It is a renewable, natural fibre that can be used as a viable alternative to synthetic fabrics.

== Benefits ==

{| class="wikitable"
|+WOOL TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS
|-
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" |
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" | MERINO
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" | CASHMERE
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" | MOHAIR
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" | CAMEL
! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px;color:#ffffff" | ANGORA
|-
| '''Bilder''' || || || || ||
|-
| '''Microns''' || 18-20 || 14-19 || 23-45 || 16-20 || 14-16
|-
| '''Source & exclusivity''' || Sheep; common || Cashmere goat; common || Angora goat; common || Two-humped Bactrian camel; rare || Angora rabbit; limited producers
|-
| '''Major producers''' || Australia, China, New Zealand, Iran, Argentina, UK || India, Mongolia, China || South Africa, United States || Mongolia, China || China, Europe, Chile, United States
|-
| '''Fibre collection''' || Shearing || Combing or Shearing || Shearing (twice annually) || Combed, shorn or collected during the 6-8 weeks moulting season || Hair removed every 3 months by shearing or gentle plucking
|-
| '''Cost''' || Low–moderate || High–luxury fibre || High || High–luxury fibre || High–luxury fibre
|-
| '''Blends well with''' || Natural and synthetic fibres || Wool and nylon (for knitwear) || Wool || Cashmere, wool, nylon (to make it more economical for manufacturer to produce) || Wool (to increase warmth and enhance softness)
|-
| '''End use'''|| Outerwear, knitwear, activewear, durable upholstery || Knitwear, babywear, blazers, coats, underwear, sleepwear, rugs, carpets || Clothing, rugs, carpets, blankets, durable upholstery || Knitwear garments, coats, suits, blazers, jackets, gloves, hats, scarves || Luxury undergarments, underwear, thermal base layers, scarves, sportswear, sweaters
|-
| '''Natural colours'''|| White, brown, grey, charcoal, black || White, grey, brown, red, yellow, almond, apricot || Blacks, greys, silvers, reds, apricots, copper || Golden tan, red to light brown || Black, blue, chocolate, brown, greys, white, reds
|-
| '''Consumer care & washing'''|| Hand-washable || Dry-clean || Dry-clean || Dry-clean || Hand-washable
|}

== Potential impacts ==

=== Animal welfare ===

===Processing===

===Dyeing===

===Consumer care/washing===

===End of use===

==Optimize sustainability benefits==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background-color:#66cdaa;width:300px;color:#ffffff" | OPPORTUNITY
! style="background-color:#66cdaa;width:300px;color:#ffffff" | BENEFITS
! style="background-color:#66cdaa;width:300px;color:#ffffff" | CONSIDERATIONS
|-
| '''Know the difference between natural bamboo linen fabric, and bamboo made from a viscose process.''' || || Bamboo viscose is chemically processed and has greater pollution impacts to water and air.
|-
| '''Promote the use of linen from bamboo products.''' || Once the fibre is extracted from the stem, processing bamboo into yarn for linen is largely mechanical, with minimal environmental impact. ||
|-
| '''Promote the use of ozone bleaching processes to strip out the natural beige colour of linen (from flax). Promote the particular aesthetic of ozone bleach effects.''' || Ozone can used be with no water at all. || Ozone has limited availability, and is relatively expensive since it requires investment in ozone generating equipment. Ozone processes produce a different aesthetic than chlorine derivative or permanganate bleaching.
|}

==Availability==
== End use==
==Marketing opportunities==
==Innovation opportunities==

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ! style="background-color:#008b45;width:150px;color:#ffffff" | ANGORA
 |-
-| '''Pictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || [[File:Sheep.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Cashmere goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Angora goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Two-humped Bactrian camel.png|150px]] || [[File:Angora rabbit.jpg|150px]]
+| <br/><br/><br/><br/> || [[File:Sheep.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Cashmere goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Angora goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Two-humped Bactrian camel.png|150px]] || [[File:Angora rabbit.jpg|150px]]
 |-
 | '''Microns''' || 18-20 || 14-19 || 23-45 || 16-20 || 14-16

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ! style="background-color:#008b45;width:150px;color:#ffffff" | ANGORA
 |-
-| '''Pictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || [[File:Oe100 21.jpg|150px|thumb|testbild]] || || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming
+| '''Pictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || [[File:Sheep.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Cashmere goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Angora goat.jpg|150px]] || [[File:Two-humped Bactrian camel.png|150px]] || [[File:Angora rabbit.jpg|150px]]
 |-
 | '''Microns''' || 18-20 || 14-19 || 23-45 || 16-20 || 14-16

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ! style="background-color:#008b45;width:150px;color:#ffffff" | ANGORA
 |-
-| '''Pictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming
+| '''Pictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || [[File:Oe100 21.jpg|150px|thumb|testbild]] || || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming
 |-
 | '''Microns''' || 18-20 || 14-19 || 23-45 || 16-20 || 14-16

@@ Line 132: / Line 132: @@
 <br/><br/>6. Use wool in strategic areas of a garment to emphasize its self-cleaning and moisture absorbent attributes, such as under the arms.
 <br/><br/>7. Partner with a local cleaner to promote wet or steam cleaning to the customer instead of dry-cleaning.
 ==Sources==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 == Benefits ==
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 35: / Line 39: @@
 == Potential impacts ==
 === Cultivation/Animal welfare ===
 ====Wool from sheep====
 Merino sheep have been specially bred to produce more volume of higher quality wool than other breeds. This is enabled by their convoluted skin, which provides a greater surface area on which more fibre can be grown. But some reports indicate that the increased weight of wool can strain the sheep and lead to heat stroke, dehydration and even death. In addition, urine and moisture tend to build up in the wrinkles of the skin, attracting flies, particularly the blowfly, and maggots around the sheep’s rump. A compensation procedure known as mulesing involves carving skin from the back legs of the sheep to make the area smoother and less prone to flies.
-Mulesing has been a hotly debated subject amongst activist groups and the textile industry as a whole. Activist reports note significant cruelty to animals during this procedure, whereas advocates describe mulesing as "a very cost-effective and simple way" to protect against flystrike, says Wool Producers Australia president Geoff Power. There have been brand boycotts and country-wide phase-out plans of mulesing, but some farmers in Australia report mulesing to still be the most cost-effective approach.2
+Mulesing has been a hotly debated subject amongst activist groups and the textile industry as a whole. Activist reports note significant cruelty to animals during this procedure, whereas advocates describe mulesing as "a very cost-effective and simple way" to protect against flystrike, says Wool Producers Australia president Geoff Power. There have been brand boycotts and country-wide phase-out plans of mulesing, but some farmers in Australia report mulesing to still be the most cost-effective approach.[2]
-Alternatives to mulesing to prevent flystrike include spray-on chemicals. These chemicals can be harmful to humans if the proper protective equipment is not worn, and can contaminate receiving water bodies if not disposed of properly.3
+Alternatives to mulesing to prevent flystrike include spray-on chemicals. These chemicals can be harmful to humans if the proper protective equipment is not worn, and can contaminate receiving water bodies if not disposed of properly.[3]
 All breeds of sheep are treated with pesticides (organophosphates and pyrethroids) to control lice and parasites. These chemicals may be applied directly to the fleece or by submerging the sheep into chemical solution pools (sheep dips).
@@ Line 52: / Line 54: @@
 ====Cashmere from goats====
-Although a profitable source of income for farmers, the impact of overgrazing of cashmere goats has reportedly contributed to land degradation and desertification, and as a result loss of biodiversity in Mongolia and other countries. This is because goats are insatiable eaters compared to other livestock, and consume the root of the grass, thereby stopping it from growing altogether. To accommodate the growing cashmere industry, and the resulting drop in cashmere prices, farmers increase the size of their herds to compensate, therefore increasing the impact on land. 4
+Although a profitable source of income for farmers, the impact of overgrazing of cashmere goats has reportedly contributed to land degradation and desertification, and as a result loss of biodiversity in Mongolia and other countries. This is because goats are insatiable eaters compared to other livestock, and consume the root of the grass, thereby stopping it from growing altogether. To accommodate the growing cashmere industry, and the resulting drop in cashmere prices, farmers increase the size of their herds to compensate, therefore increasing the impact on land. [4]
 There is little reliable information supporting animal cruelty to cashmere goats. However, due to increased consumer demand for cashmere, overall consumer demand for inexpensive products, increase in herd size, and lack of standards regulating proper treatment of animals in cashmere-producing countries, relationships with producers should be closely monitored to ensure friendly practices are being implemented.
@@ Line 61: / Line 63: @@
 ===Processing===
 ====Scouring====
-Around two-thirds of the weight of the wool fibre by weight is grease, dried sweat salts, skin flakes, dirt and dried plant matter. To remove these substances from the wool fibre, a cleaning or scouring process is carried out at hot temperatures (approx. 60-66º C) in an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and detergent.5 Scouring consumes large amounts of water, and produces an effluent with high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and high-suspended solids content.6 This reduces the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels meaning less oxygen is available to fish and other aquatic organisms. Trace elements of pesticides also remain in the wastewater. Some of these detergents used for scouring are banned in Europe, but not elsewhere.7
+Around two-thirds of the weight of the wool fibre by weight is grease, dried sweat salts, skin flakes, dirt and dried plant matter. To remove these substances from the wool fibre, a cleaning or scouring process is carried out at hot temperatures (approx. 60-66º C) in an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and detergent.[5] Scouring consumes large amounts of water, and produces an effluent with high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and high-suspended solids content.[6] This reduces the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels meaning less oxygen is available to fish and other aquatic organisms. Trace elements of pesticides also remain in the wastewater. Some of these detergents used for scouring are banned in Europe, but not elsewhere.[7]
 ====Shrink proofing====
-Anti-shrinking treatments prevent wool from felting during wash and generally include chlorine in some form. Chlorine-Hercosset is a treatment used on wool fibre. Dry chlorination is a treatment carried out on wool fabric using chlorine gas. Repeat exposure to chlorine can affect the human respiratory system. In addition, depending on the amount used and how it is handled, chlorine may be released into the air and water and in certain conditions may form dioxins.8 The wastewater from the wool chlorination process contains chemicals of environmental concern. Due to these chemicals, this wastewater cannot be accepted by water treatment facilities in the United States. Therefore all chlorinated wool is processed in other countries, and then imported.9
+Anti-shrinking treatments prevent wool from felting during wash and generally include chlorine in some form. Chlorine-Hercosset is a treatment used on wool fibre. Dry chlorination is a treatment carried out on wool fabric using chlorine gas. Repeat exposure to chlorine can affect the human respiratory system. In addition, depending on the amount used and how it is handled, chlorine may be released into the air and water and in certain conditions may form dioxins.[8] The wastewater from the wool chlorination process contains chemicals of environmental concern. Due to these chemicals, this wastewater cannot be accepted by water treatment facilities in the United States. Therefore all chlorinated wool is processed in other countries, and then imported.[9]
 ===Dyeing===
@@ Line 73: / Line 75: @@
 ===End of use===
-Although 100% wool fibre is biodegradable, the amount of time it could take for a wool product to decompose naturally and in a short period of time is dependent upon a number of conditions—including how much air, temperature and sunlight the fibre is exposed to. If the waste is buried in a landfill, it can take even longer for it to break down.10
+Although 100% wool fibre is biodegradable, the amount of time it could take for a wool product to decompose naturally and in a short period of time is dependent upon a number of conditions—including how much air, temperature and sunlight the fibre is exposed to. If the waste is buried in a landfill, it can take even longer for it to break down.[10]
 ==Optimize sustainability benefits==

@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 | '''Promote suppliers who use recycled Merino wool.''' || Available in Northern England and Prato, Italy. Since wool is a renewable resource, the primary benefit of recycled wool is in reducing loads on landfill. However, using recycled wool may also ease the pressure that industrialized sheep ranching places on the land. || Recycling wool creates shorter fibres, which need to be blended with a percentage of virgin wool or synthetic fibre to maintain strength for finer-count yarns. The coarser the yarn count, the less virgin wool or synthetic fibre is required.
 |-
-| '''Promote suppliers using Cardato Regenerated CO2 Neutral products.[11]''' || The Cardato Regenerated CO2 Neutral brand certifies both the carbon footprint of the textile production process and the use of regenerated raw materials.
+| '''Promote suppliers using Cardato Regenerated CO2 Neutral products.[11]''' || The Cardato Regenerated CO2 Neutral brand certifies both the carbon footprint of the textile production process and the use of regenerated raw materials. To carry the label, products must be produced in Prato; produced with at least 70% of recycled material (recycled clothing or textile off-cuts); and be made by mills that have accounted for their CO2 emissions and have purchased emission credits from the Prato Chamber of Commerce.
-To carry the label, products must be produced in Prato; produced with at least 70% of recycled material (recycled clothing or textile off-cuts); and be made by mills that have accounted for their CO2 emissions and have purchased emission credits from the Prato Chamber of Commerce. ||
 |-
 | '''Promote the use of natural colour wool.''' || No bleaches or dyes are used in this case, and associated pollution impacts are avoided. ||