The coat of sheep, livestock, and other animals produces wool, a protein. A textile formed from an animal's fleece after it has been sheared, churned, and woven into the fabric is wool. Wool is a natural, reusable fibre source and one of the most environmentally friendly materials for apparel since fleeces come back every year after shearing.
The 70 million sheep in Australia produce wool all year long by ingesting an essential combination of water, air, sunshine, and grass. These sheep create fresh fleece every year, making wool an entirely sustainable material.
In terms of the production of raw materials and their usage in the textile industry, wool is a clear and straightforward illustration of the economy in action for Circularity.
Is wool all-natural?
Natural fibres are soft fibrous materials that may be spun into strands or threads and generated by plants and animals. Natural fibres have the following qualities:
Various items, including apparel, stockings, footwear, insulating base layers, house insulation, mattresses, beds, carpets, and rugs, are made from wool, a very versatile material.
Wool consists of a protein called keratin, which, like an average human hair, is formed by follicles within the skin of animals. Wool is possibly the oldest known living fibre.
What is the environmental impact?
Domesticated animals produce wool, most of which has a considerable environmental impact. A sheep is a ruminant, which describes their unique digestive system but, for this inquiry, also indicates that they exhale methane.
The carbon footprint of sheep accounts for around 50% of that of wool, compared to more considerable emissions from production procedures for other materials. After hemp, wool is the second least energy- and carbon-intensive textile material.
This factor is partly because sheep remain under care on unfavourable terrain and non-arable fields.
From a sustainability standpoint, wool is completely natural and 100% biodegradable. Unlike its synthetic competitors, which release plastic microfiber cloths into the environment, it decomposes fast and returns its nutrients into the soil.
Characteristics of wool
- Wool has optimal thermal insulation qualities, making it warmer and more relaxed in different seasons.
- Wool is hypoallergenic because it resists the germs, mould, and mildew many individuals experience allergic responses to.
- Wool fibre does not release dangerous contaminants after absorbing them from the air. According to estimates, using wool in interior design can help the air become cleaner for 30 years.
- In the textile sector, the Circularity of design uses biodegradable materials and prolongs the useful life of clothing. And creates channels for its eventual reuse, recycling, and biodegradation.
- Wool repels dust mites since they require wetness to live. Wool's microscopic pores react quickly to even little humidity variations, making it unfavourable for house dust mite reproduction and growth.
- Because of the characteristics of its natural wool fibres, wool is naturally anti-static, which means it creates a minimal static charge. Lint, grime, and fixed draw the dust in. Therefore items with anti-static characteristics stay cleaner for longer.
- Wool is a naturally occurring and sustainable resource since sheep create a fleece yearly.
- Wool inherently resists flames. It possesses outstanding self-extinguishing capabilities, a low flame spread, and low heat emission. It is also difficult to ignite. It makes it an ideal option for applications where fire safety rules are pretty severe.
The takeaway
Natural fibres naturally utilise a straightforward combination of natural elements, in contrast to synthetics, which industrially uses non-renewable fossil fuels, including grass, water, air, and sunlight for wool.
Wool is the most made recyclable material on the earth among the central textiles used in clothing. Wool's extended lifespan and appropriateness for recycling into new fabrics for apparel, durable upholstery, or goods that rely on its inherent resilience to flame and temperature extremes strengthen its eco-credentials.
Wool may is utilised for industrial purposes such as insulation material, oil spill cleanup pads, and premium next-to-skin clothing.
