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When you choose organic wool sweaters you're supporting the chemical-free treatment of sheep without sacrificing the warmth, durability, and comfort of conventional wool sweaters.

Find it! Organic wool sweaters

Ba, ba green sheep, have you any wool? Yes, they surely do, although the organic wool market is small and primarily caters to those seeking bedding and socks. Despite this, stylish and sustainable organic wool sweaters are available.

Find it! Organic wool yarn

• Vermont Organic Fiber Co.: For the crafty-minded keen on knitting their very own argyle masterpieces, Vermont Organic Fiber Co. produces O-Wool™ yarn, a blend of organic merino wool and organic cotton available wholesale or through fabric e-retailers.

Before you buy

Although wool—both organic and conventional—is an inherently sustainable fiber given that the sheep it comes from are simply shorn, not killed, many individuals and organizations, such as PETA, take issue with how wool-producing sheep are treated—even those subject to a pesticide-free, environmentally sound production process. If you're concerned about the treatment of sheep, choose a sweater made from a non-animal derived fiber, such as organic cotton or hemp.

Also, similar to other certified organic products, an organic wool sweater will carry a higher price tag than a conventional wool sweater, due partly to the relatively small size of the organic wool industry.

Choosing organic wool sweaters helps you go green because…

• Organic standards for livestock caters to the well-being of sheep and the earth by prohibiting pesticide-use and other environmentally damaging practices.

Organic wool production differs from conventional wool production in two important ways: the sheep cannot be dipped in insecticides to ward off pests, like lice and ticks, and the grazing land provided for sheep cannot be overcrowded. This helps curb two environmental risks associated with livestock production—ground water contamination and soil erosion due to overgrazing. In order to gain official organic certification, wool must be “grown” according to regulations for livestock production established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). These requirements include:[1]

• No use of synthetic hormones or genetic modification.
• No synthetic pesticides can be used on the livestock themselves or on grazing pastures.
• The livestock’s feed and forage (from the last third of gestation) must be certified as organic.
• Livestock management must promote the health of the animals.

An environmental danger of the wool industry that organic certification cannot control is enteric fermentation—or livestock belching and flatulence—a major contributor to global climate change. In New Zealand, for example, 90 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions (methane, in particular) result from enteric fermentation, primarily from sheep.[2]

In 2005, over 19,000 pounds of organic wool were grown in six states and Ontario, Canada, with New Mexico as the leading producer at 15,300 pounds.[1] The total wool output in the United States in 2005 was around 39 million pounds.[3]

Glossary

• genetically modified organism: A GMO results from merging the genetic make-up of two organisms to create a desired byproduct that could otherwise not be found in nature. Engineering GMOs is a common practice in conventional farming, and studies have shown that GMOs pose significant environmental risks such as killing off living, natural organisms and becoming immune to pesticides.
• methane: A greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere from both natural and man-made sources, including landfills, agricultural activities, wastewater treatment, and coal mining. Once introduced into the atmosphere, methane can exist for 9 to 15 years. It’s more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere (global warming) than fellow greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

External Links

• fiftyrx3
• Green Knitters
• Ideal Bite - "Merino wool: good or baa-aaaahhd?"
• Organic Wool Network
• Style Will Save Us
• Sustainable Style Foundation