Wool has been washed, woven and worn for thousands of years as one of the original textile fibres. But in recent years, the wool industry as a whole has come under scrutiny due to some farmers and processors that have failed to budge on decades-old practices and unethical production. However, not all wool is sourced equally.
Both new and existing companies have made it their mission to take special care when choosing the growers and processors they partner with – making ethical wool possible. Here’s how Bluey Merino created a company that provides customers with merino wool garments they can feel good wearing, knowing it is ethically sourced.
What does it mean to be ethically sourced?
Wool is a natural fibre that is renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable, but is wool ethical? This comes down to how growers produce their wool, and it's the garment-makers responsibility to choose these growers wisely. As a product that is derived from animals, the sheep must be treated responsibly and humanely and the land on which they live must also not be harmed in order for ethical wool sourcing to be achieved.
Our 3 Pillars To Responsible Wool Production
At Bluey Merino, we work with growers who prioritise the humane treatment of animals and the responsible treatment of land to produce our wool garments. To keep ourselves accountable and demonstrate our commitment to animal and environmental welfare, we strictly adhere to these three pillars when choosing and working with suppliers.
Responsible Wool Standards
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary, independent standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on.
At its core, the RWS means treating sheep with respect to their 5 freedoms:
- The freedom from hunger and thirst;
- The freedom from discomfort;
- The freedom from pain, injury or distress;
- The freedom to express normal behaviour; and
- The freedom from fear and distress.
Companies who choose to abide by the responsible wool standard can display the RWS symbol on their websites, giving customers confidence that they are purchasing ethical products.
Hand-Picked Growers
We carefully select our growers based on their commitment to ethical production practices, sustainable land management practices, and the consistency and quality of their merino wool.
Our growers include those based in Tasmania as well as the Karori Merino Stud in New South Wales which not only adhere to the highest of animal welfare standards, but have also developed long term land management and sustainability practices to ensure our brand is underpinned by a foundation transparency and traceability. We translate sustainable on farm practises directly to quality fleece, premium yarns and ultra soft fabrics.
Single Source Provenance
Over 98% of our Bluey Merino garments are developed with a single source provenance, meaning that we can trace our fibres back to the farm in which they were produced. While single source provenance guarantees quality fibres, it also confirms that the wool was produced by our hand-picked growers, rather than by blended mass production industry practices.
Shop Our Ethical Merino Wool Clothing & Products
Ethical wool products can be hard to come by, but with Bluey Merino, you can be rest assured that we only use responsibly sourced wool for our products. Shop our products for men and women to stock up on light-weight, Australian-made urban and outdoor pieces that are ideal for spring and summer.