Natural fibres cry for backers as synthetics lobby pushes for eco labelling

Wool could be described as being worse for the environment than synthetic fibres under a new labelling system planned for the high end European market.

Wool growers and “fair minded” people outside of the industry are being called on to show their support for wool’s environmental sustainability credibility, ahead of a crucial vote in the European Commission that will determine what clothes consumers are advised to purchase.

The rallying call comes ahead of a determination by the European Commission on the methodology of a new consumer Product Environmental Footprint labelling system, which has been likened to a traffic light labelling.

The labelling will recommend whether buyers choose natural fibres or synthetic clothes, based on what it describes as each product’s environmental footprint.

According to the Make the Label Count campaign – partly funded by Australian Wool Innovation – the risk was the current PEF did not treat wool fairly, instead it recommended consumers buy synthetic over natural fibres.

Wool growers have been urged to have their say on wool’s eco footprint. Picture: Zoe Phillips

AWI chief executive John Roberts said this week the Make The Label Count campaign was one of the key ways Australian wool growers were having their interests served in Europe.

“Levy payers through AWI are working with other natural fibres against the untruths being told by fast fashion fossil fuel fibres,” he said.

“AWI research on the benefits of wool as a natural and biodegradable fibre are now being considered in proposed European Union and French government laws designed to show the environmental footprint of clothing.

“It would be wrong and incredibly damaging to Australian wool growers if the proposed laws had wool as worse for the environment than a synthetic fossil fuel fibre. That’s why we want as many growers as possible to add their voice to the campaign.”

Make the Label Count spokesman and International Wool Textile Organisation secretary-general Dalena White said “we’ve had major advancements in research and knowledge around the environmental impacts of the textile industry, but these aren’t yet included in the current PEF methodology”.

“If the Commission proceeds to use the PEF without updating it, the fashion and textile industry won’t make the green transition we all want to see,” Ms White.

Fox & Lillie national wool brokerage manager Eamon Timms said the impact synthetic fibres had on the environment, whether it was through micro plastic, or by not biodegrading, unlike wool, must be counted in any fair assessment of products.

He urged wool growers to voice their concerns through the public consultation on the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules, before it closed on April 28.

For details, visit makethelabelcount.org