While there are some ethical concerns around the use of wool – specifically, the practice of mulesing, which is the removal of strips of skin around the buttocks of a sheep to prevent flystrike, a parasitic infection – proponents of the fibre say progress is being made. “[A] high number of wool growers are moving away from the practice of mulesing where they possibly can,” John Roberts, managing director of The Woolmark Company, says.
Vegan designer Eirinn Hayhow uses plant-based alternatives, including recycled cotton, hemp and soya bean fibre, for her knitwear.What’s more, there’s been a growing movement towards regenerative wool – in other words, producing the fibre in a way that can actually have aon the environment.
Although there’s concern over the amount of land that would be needed to shift the whole industry towards a more regenerative approach, it seems that animal-derived materials are here to stay for a while yet. Moving forward, the focus is on how to reduce the environmental impact of these fibres and improve transparency – and therefore accountability – across the supply chain.
Still, as new innovations continue to scale up and improve, some in the industry believe there is an animal-free future on the horizon. “Next-gen materials represent a multi-billion-dollar opportunity – reduce [and] eliminate harm to people, animals, and the planet, and meet the needs of both consumers and brands,” Gladman concludes. “Without a doubt, we see a future where animal-free materials are the norm.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: BritishVogue - 🏆 14. / 80 Read more »
Source: TheSun - 🏆 64. / 61 Read more »
Source: BritishVogue - 🏆 14. / 80 Read more »
Source: GlamourMagUK - 🏆 2. / 98 Read more »
Source: TheEconomist - 🏆 6. / 92 Read more »
Source: BritishVogue - 🏆 14. / 80 Read more »