The closer the winter, the more advertising for “eco-fur” and “eco-fur”. But why is faux fur considered sustainable? Ethical? Yes. Humane? Sure. Warm and handsome? Agree! But is it environmentally friendly?
On the agenda is the sustainability of the most common natural materials and their artificial alternatives.
The quality of the product that may have an impact on human health.
We will consider each material in terms of these criteria.
Wool is a natural material made from animal hair. Natural wool is pleasant to wear, absorbs moisture well, retains heat better, but at the same time wool is more expensive and more difficult to care for.
Wool is a renewable, compostable and biodegradable product, but even so it cannot be argued that the ecological footprint of wool is insignificant – it all depends on the production and processing methods. For example, cattle breeding – and wool is often a by-product of the meat or dairy industries – is an extremely environmentally friendly industry with an impressive eco-trail, and alpaca wool in Peru is harvested by hand from free-flowing alpacas. The difference is obvious. Also, wool is treated with dyes and chemicals to improve its properties, and the fields on which animals graze are watered with pesticides and fertilizers, which also increases its eco-trail. If the ecological footprint of the wool you buy is important to you, choose a product that is certified by the Responsible Wool Standard, an organization that monitors sheep living conditions on different farms and helps farmers learn progressive ways of growing and harvesting wool.
The ethics of wool is always on the farmer’s conscience. For example, the most common wool, the wool of merino sheep, is often produced using an extremely inhumane procedure: trimming the folds at the back of the body. The problem is that insects often grow in these folds, and cunning farmers simply cut off the “extra” part of the body. Whether this method was used by the farmer who grew the wool for your jacket is unknown (but most likely yes).
Certification that monitors how tissue affects human health does not yet exist (but apparently, it will be soon!). If you don’t have allergies, organic wool is a great choice!