Changes

! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | ! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | MERINO! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | CASHMERE! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | MOHAIR! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | CAMEL! style="background-color:#008b45;width:200px150px;color:#ffffff" | ANGORA

| '''BilderPictures''' <br/><br/><br/><br/> || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming || picture comming ||picture comming

=== 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 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). Repeated exposures to organophosphate pesticides are linked to severe nerve damage in humans, and when poorly managed, these chemical agents may contaminate regional water systems. Pyrethroids in particular are extremely toxic to aquatic life. Besides these fibre-specific impacts, intensive sheep ranching has contributed to land degradation in some regions. ====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 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. ====Angora wool from rabbits====Animal cruelty to Angora rabbits in China has been recently publicized. Typically, angora rabbits are either shorn or gently plucked of their wool every 3 months. Recent undercover video footage has shown Chinese farmers vigorously ripping out fibre from the rabbit’s body. The reason for this is that these farmers receive a higher price for the entire length of the hair. Several companies have ceased production of angora products in response to the allegations. Relationships with producers should be closely monitored to ensure friendly practices are being implemented.

| '''Know the difference between natural bamboo linen fabric, and bamboo made from a viscose processPromote suppliers using certified organic Merino wool.''' || || Bamboo viscose No disallowed chemicals used. Organic feed fed to animals. Carrying capacity of the grazing land is chemically processed considered and has greater pollution impacts the size of the flock is monitored to water and airavoid land degradation. Animals are quarantined when sick, rather than continuously fed with antibiotics. || Organic wool is available, though not so readily as conventional. Organic wool is more expensive than conventional wool.

| '''Promote the suppliers who use of linen from bamboo productsnatural substances to scour wool tops.''' || Once Provides “gentle” scour, which results in less biological load and fewer toxic chemicals in the fibre is extracted from the stem, processing bamboo into yarn for linen is largely mechanical, with minimal environmental impact. wastewater ||

| '''Implement humane methods of flystrike control in Merino sheep.''' || Sheep are treated holistically as a first resort if flystrike occurs. || Methods of mulesing and chemical application are used only when absolutely necessary. Less available than conventional wool.|-| '''Promote the use of ozone bleaching processes to strip out chlorine-free wool.''' || Chlorine is not used during the natural beige colour of linen (from flax)shrink proofing process. <br /><br />|| |-| '''Promote suppliers who treat the particular aesthetic effluent after the scouring process, and reclaim the lanolin.''' || || |-| '''Promote suppliers who use recycled Merino wool.''' || Available in Northern England and Prato, Italy. Since wool is a renewable resource, the primary benefit of ozone bleach effectsrecycled 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]''' || Ozone can used 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 no water at allleast 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. || Ozone has limited availability|-| '''Promote the use of natural colour wool.''' || No bleaches or dyes are used in this case, and is relatively expensive since it requires investment in ozone generating equipmentassociated pollution impacts are avoided. || |-| '''Promote wildlife-friendly grazing practices for Cashmere goats. <br /><br />Ozone processes produce a different aesthetic than chlorine derivative or permanganate bleachingPrioritize sites that have endangered wild species.''' || Decreases impacts of overgrazing and loss of biodiversity due to desertification. || |-| '''Develop relationships with producers and monitor farmers.''' || Ensures animal-friendly practices are being implemented. || |-| '''Promote OEKO-TEK certified wool.[12]''' || Ensures that products pose no risk to health. These products do not contain allergenic dye-stuffs and dye-stuffs that form carcinogenic aryl-amines, and several other banned chemicals. The certification process includes thorough testing for a long list of chemicals ||