Wool Industry at Crossroads says IWTO president

Klaus Steger, President of the International Wool Textile Organisation spoke to delegates at 35th Nanjing Wool Market Conference held on 23-25 September 2024. He outlined the challenges facing the wool industry.

The world wool industry is at a crossroad, he said. He told delegates that the industry faces a number of challenges including a drop in consumer demand around the world and in China, a reduction in wool production in all main wool growing countries, and the imperative of promoting the environmental superiority of wool fibre. But a main challenge is navigating the legislative landscape as the European Union proposes legislation that will negatively affect wool.

Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) although well-intentioned – to measure the environmental footprint of products on the EU market – the PEF for textiles contains a built-in bias against natural fibres. This bias stems from the shortcomings of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). By leaving out key indicators for microplastics or plastic waste, and ignoring positive accounting for factors such as biodegradability, renewability and regenerative agriculture, natural fibres stand no chance in the PEF’s calculations.

Klaus Seger pointed out that if unfavourable legislation put forward by the European Union is to get up it will affect every part of the wool industry from grower to retailer, in every country.

Klaus Steger called on industry leaders to support IWTO world in this space with financial contribution that is badly needed. By the end of the session several major wool processors in China had come forward to pledge their financial support for IWTO work in this space. So please come forward to support IWTO as it lobbies the European parliament around PEF, and as it works on the Make the Label Count campaign to ensure clothing sustainability claims in the EU are credible.