O o d h e a d p u b L i s h I n g L i m I t e d

3.1
Introduction
Wool is a natural protein fibre produced by sheep. The wool fibre has unique
physical and chemical properties that allow it to be extremely versatile.
Wool can be warm or cool, it can be casual or formal and it has moisture-
absorbing properties that allow it to be comfortable to wear in active and
passive situations. In addition, because it is a natural fibre, wool is perceived
by consumers to be renewable, ‘sustainable’ and ‘environmentally friendly’.
Wool is therefore well placed to take advantage of the current consumer
and retail demand for all things natural and sustainable. However, the
sustainable textile space is becoming very crowded as other natural, bio-
derived and synthetic fibres compete to demonstrate their environmental
credentials.
The terminology used in the various environmental claims is creating
confusion in the mind of consumers (and in the trade) as terms like ‘organic’,
‘natural’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘eco-’ clamour for attention and various eco-
labelling schemes compete for market share. After a period of relative calm,
new standards for organic, eco- and sustainable textiles are being written and
endorsed by competing fibres, countries, retailers and brands. Are the
environmental claims made by organic/eco- fibres/yarns/fabrics just marketing
and ‘greenwash’, or are there real environmental benefits? Are organic or
natural fibres more environmentally friendly than eco-fibres? The concern
© 2009 Woodhead Publishing Limited

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Advances in wool technology
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with textiles is not surprising given that textiles is collectively one of the
world’s largest industries and is a significant producer of high volumes of
highly contaminated effluents (Cooper, 2007).
The textile industry led global manufacturing into the industrial revolution
and the textile industry was an early and enthusiastic adopter of globalisation.
This was partly to identify low-cost manufacturing countries, but partly also
to escape rapidly expanding environmental legislation in developed countries
that threatened to add significant costs. This relocation of the textile industry
has meant that the pollution loads from the textile industry have also moved
into low-cost manufacturing countries, many of which have not been prepared,
physically or legislatively, to deal with the environmental impacts (Reuters,
2008).
Wool’s overall market share has declined in real terms as well as in
percentage terms and wool is now a minority fibre representing only 1.9% of
world fibre production (IWTO, 2007) in a very large textile fibre market.
Wool does, however, retain a significant market share in men’s suiting, in
knitwear and in carpets, areas where the unique properties of wool provide
excellent appearance, comfort and durability that are unmatched by other
fibres. In this context, it is important to recognise that ‘green credentials’ are
insufficient in their own right. Consumers make purchasing decisions based
mainly on quality, fashion, functionality and price, but for an increasing
number of consumers, sustainability is becoming a critical new element.
It is essential that wool acknowledges this consumer trend. In 2004 Juan
Casanovas, then President of the International Wool Textile Organisation
(IWTO), reminded the global wool industry of the central importance of the
consumer by stating that ‘the wool demand chain starts in the shop, and not
on the sheep’ (Casanovas, 2004).