Nobody wants to think about the suffering of a sheep when snuggling into your favourite jumper with a hot chocolate. The truth is, sheep have suffered greatly in the fashion and textile industry as a result of fast fashion (a topic to discuss in another post).
‘Those who have never done the research into how wool is produced, simply say sheep obviously don’t die for wool so, what is so wrong with wearing it?’ (Ariel Garlow).
To understand the full impact, let’s start from the beginning. Sheep are bred on a mass number in multiple farms around the world – Australia being the highest in demand with China and New Zealand next in the running. The most common breed of sheep residing in Australia is the merino. Naturally, these sheep have wrinkly skin with numerous ‘folds’, hence why they are so popular as their bodies have more surface area to produce more wool. It is common for the sheep to be modified to carry more folds, producing more wool. These sheep are also put through a painful process without painkillers to carve skin and flesh from the breech of the sheep (its bottom) for a smoother surface. The process can benefit the health of the sheep because disease is less likely to form on the skin or in the wool from the breech area. However, there are much better ways to practise this with the sheep’s welfare in mind.
To keep up with the demand of wool, sheep are sometimes sheered too early. It is crucial to get the timing of sheering a sheep correct. If they are sheered while still in the winter season, the sheep can become ill due to the harsh weather conditions. Alternatively, the sheep can be sheered too early in the spring and become ill from premature sun exposure. Farmers also don’t like to leave the coat un-sheared in the later periods of spring as the sheep will start to shed naturally and profits will be lost.
Unfortunately, the farmer is paid by the volume of wool, not the hours spent. This means that for the farmers to maximise profits, more sheep need to be bred, accompanied by an increasingly rapid process to get them sheered. This can lead to the sheep getting snagged and cut more frequently.
On top of this, make sure that you always do your research! Don’t just trust brands when they label wool as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’. This can mean nothing when it comes to sheep welfare or environmental impact. The wool industry can be misleading and confusing if you don’t know what to look out for – and, on top of this, not all companies are fully transparent about their supply chains.
To leave you on a positive note, there are organisations working on how to improve the living environment for the sheep. Also, countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom are passing laws to stop the procedure of treating sheep inhumanly and without painkillers.
It is in the sheep’s benefit to be sheered as it is a natural process, but the method used in most farms must change to make a lasting impact. If you want to know how you can make a change, click here to find out about: different wool types, how to care for your woolly jumpers, and the companies already making an positive change for the wool industry.
If you would like to further your knowledge, click on the links below to read on. These links are the ones used to build this blog post and the information was correct at the date of publishing.
Sheep 101 - http://www.sheep101.info/
The Fashion business Manual - https://amzn.to/2CuOA4i
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