IWTO – latest news briefs

Product environmental footprint: how will wool hold up? For the next two years, IWTO will be part of the European Commission’s project to define the rules for calculating environmental footprints for all types of apparel and footwear. Known as the “PEF,” this is a comprehensive measurement that will cover 16 impact categories. It is likely that the tool will be used to create consumer-facing labels.

One of the goals of IWTO is to ensure a level playing field for wool in the EU’s PEF. We’ll be working to ensure that the terms of the measurement tool are relevant for all fibres, and that the calculation does not inherently favour one fibre over another.

Get up to speed on the state of play in our video presentation by Dr Stephen Wiedeman, chair of IWTO’s LCA Technical Advisory Group and the project’s technical lead.

Cradle-to-Grave Wool LCA Published in Leading Journal

Wool did it! Wrapping up seven years of work, the wool industry’s first full life cycle assessment was published in May.

The study examines the environmental impacts of a 300-gram wool sweater over the course of its lifetime, from the farm in Australia, to processing and finishing in China, to sale in the EU market.

Top among the findings is the importance of how often a garment is worn, and how long it is actively used.

Clothes that are worn more often and used for longer reduce the impacts generated by their manufacture, the researchers found. It’s the same rationale as the one against single-use plastics.

Learn more about the findings, and download the study, on iwto.org/first-full-wool-lca/.

AgResearch: Machine-Washable Wool Fibres Biodegrade

What happens to wool textile fibres once they enter freshwater systems and the sea? It’s a question we are frequently asked, and now we have an answer.

Results released by AgResearch confirm that wool fibres readily biodegrade in watery environments –even wool treated for machine-washablity. In fact, machine-washable wool biodegraded even faster than untreated wool. Read more about it on iwto.org

DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award – Deadline 11 September

The DNFI is accepting nominations for its annual Natural Fibres Award.

Universities, institutes, industry and individuals working in the area of scientific research are invited to participate.

View details and deadlines at dnfi.org/dnfi-award

Source: IWTO