Woolmark explains its Wear Wool, Not Waste campaign has launched to coincide with the legislative changes that are being made across Europe to curb the rise in throwaway fashion culture, which is driven by cheap, synthetic clothing.
Woolmark managing director John Roberts says the aim is to give "an urgent call" to citizens and the industry at large to re-evaluate fibre choices.
He continues: "Merino wool is inherently natural and renewable and has the potential to be a transformational solution to fashion’s impact problem. It offers a versatile, biodegradable, recyclable, and long-lasting solution - one that aligns with nature rather than working against it."
One of the campaign’s key messages is about consumer awareness given one in three people admit they rarely check fabric composition when purchasing online.
Woolmark hopes to educate the public on the unique benefits of wool versus fossil fuel-derived synthetics. Plus, it says research suggests wool garments are three times more likely to be donated than garments made from other major fibres.
"This impressive donation rate is further highlighted by the fact that wool, which currently represents about 1% of global virgin fibre supply, has historically
achieved a donation rate of 5%. This far exceeds its share in the fibre market, emphasising wool's value in advancing a circular economy.
Woolmark is also keen to point out the first synthetic clothing was introduced less than 200 years ago and is predicted to account for 73% of total fibre production globally by 2030. It also notes the average polyester product is likely to survive in landfills for more than 200 years.
Woolmark states: "Built on this uneasy idea that every synthetic garment ever made still exists in some form, the campaign centres around a 60-second film showing people rushing to escape a zombie invasion of the old synthetic clothes that still
haunt our planet to this day."
The organisation is continuing to push its Filter by Fabric initiative, which calls on industry to stop using misleading language on product names, instead adopting accurate fabric composition descriptions in product names and introducing fabric filters on e-commerce sites to help shoppers make more informed choices.
The Filter by Fabric initiative was launched last year and has received thousands of pledges with commitments from industry bodies including Copenhagen Fashion Week, No More Plastic and the Plastic Soup Foundation, as well as global brands, from Reformation to Benetton.
This campaign aligns with Woolmark’s broader mission to position wool as a key solution to the fashion industry’s sustainability challenges. This is a vision that was encapsulated in the recently launched Woolmark+ Roadmap, a programme aimed at driving the industry towards a nature-positive future.
