We have been supporters of this campaign, which aims to promote wool generically and focuses on the sustainable attributes of wool as a natural fibre that meets an international environmental agenda, since it started.
Launched in the UK in January 2010 by Prince Charles, the Campaign for Wool aims to explain and disseminate the many benefits of wool, including its fire safety and practical durability. The campaign presents wool in a simple, unified way to both retailers and consumers which come together in an annual Wool Week.
Why is it Important?
Wool producers (sheep farmers) get very little for their wool, and the cost of shearing can be more than the value of the fleece. As a result farmers are have focussed more on meat and gradually reduced the size of their wool flocks or even come out of sheep farming altogether.
This means that the world’s sheep population has been declining, so less sheep will result in less wool for the textile industry and international landscapes will suffer without sheep to help maintain the countryside and rural environments.
Wool is a superior high performance fibre that offers a natural, sustainable alternative to textile manufacturers, retailers and consumers. It offers a number of environmental advantages and has proved itself to be measurably better than synthetic alternatives.
What are its future plans?
• There are many levels of activity to promote wool, and flexibility for manufacturers and retailers to develop their own promotions;
• There is an extensive public relations campaign designed to secure national and international editorial coverage of the campaign and its participants, most recently with a set of new films also from British Wool;
• For more information and updates about The Campaign for Wool please visit: www.campaignforwool.org (link is external)
Pauline Crerar’s Sanna Shetland sheep