A Guide to Kind Knitting
Ethical wool yarn and alternatives for animal-friendly knitting
Knitting as a hobby is a great creative outlet with endless possibilities to create new items. Many find it relaxing, and it has been shown to help improve focus and concentration.
But did you know that there are unfortunately several animal welfare problems linked to the production of wool?
For instance, Australia is one of the major global producers of wool, and the only place in which the cruel practice of 'live lamb cutting' (mulesing) is still performed on Merino sheep. In order to prevent possible fly infestations, young lambs are restrained on their backs and the large skin folds around their backside are sliced off without anesthesia.
What can I do to knit kindly?
There are two main questions you should ask yourself.
Could this yarn be made from alternative materials?
Yes, and you can find a list of common alternative materials in the guide.
Does it have to be Merino wool?
If yes, you should consider the following points to ensure that your purchase does not support animal suffering:
Find out about knitting wool brands and retailers. If your favorite brands or retailers publicly oppose live lamb cutting and the wool has one of the following labels, then you can be relatively sure that your wool is mulesing-free (live lamb cutting-free).
Find out about knitting wool brands and retailers. If your favourite brands or retailers publicly oppose live lamb cutting and the wool has one of the following labels, then you can be relatively sure that your wool is mulesing-free (live lamb cutting-free).
MULESING-free labels:
- Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)
- NATIVA
- ZQ Merino
Be cautious when noticing other labels – even if it says organic, lamb cutting cannot be ruled out for certain. A general rule to apply is, if a brand cannot verify that its wool is lamb cutting-free, avoid it. Australia is the top wool producer, yet only around 20% is lamb cutting-free, leaving a high risk of supporting unknowingly this cruelty.
ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS
These following materials are not of animal origin and are therefore automatically free of animal suffering. Be careful though: synthetic fibers are often mixed with natural fibers (of animal or vegetable origin).
Bamboo
can be processed into viscose fibers or environmentally friendly Lycocell. The material is:
- similar to a mixture of silk and cashmere
- light
- durable
- insulating
- resistant to odors
Cotton
is the best-known alternative to wool and accounts for about a third of the world’s fiber production. Organic cotton produces 70% less CO2 than conventional cotton. The material is:
- soft
- sensitive to skin
- wrinkle-free
- absorbent
Hemp
grows fast and is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The material is:
- fully compostable
- durable
- sensitive to skin
- antimicrobial
Linen
is obtained from the stems of the flax plant. Cultivation and processing are particularly environmentally friendly. The material is:
- tear resistant
- cooling
- quick drying
- anti-allergenic
TENCEL™
made from trees like eucalyptus, beech, and spruce. The material is:
- made from eucalyptus wood
- easily recyclable
- soft
- insulating
Modal
is a viscose fiber that is primarily obtained from the wood pulp of sustainably grown beech. The material is:
- soft and smooth
- easily recyclable
- 50% more absorbent than cotton
- quick drying
The animal suffering behind mohair, alpaca, cashmere and angora wool
When buying cashmere, mohair or alpaca-based wool make sure to select products certified by more robust standards such as the Good Cashmere Standard (GCS), the Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS), or the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS). However note, these certifications do not eliminate animal suffering, but do reduce risks to animal welfare. Even better, is to seek sustainable animal-free alternatives.
There is no animal-friendly production of angora wool. Therefore, FOUR PAWS strongly reject its use and purchase.
The main issues regarding animal welfare are:
- Stress, panic and injuries during shearing, with alpaca especially suffering from stress when restrained
- In some cases, wool is forcibly removed from the animals, such as cashmere goats where the fine under hair is painfully torn out with metal combs
- Outdoor husbandry is often insufficient with a lack of protection from strong winds and other weather conditions, and an inadequate provision of food and care
- There is often a lack of medical treatment following the shearing process. In the case of Angora rabbits, they often suffer from harmful infections, particularly of the eyes, as a result of unchecked breeding and poor cage keeping
You can download our complete knitting wool guide here:
"Knitting Kind" - a FOUR PAWS guide
An animal-friendly knitting experience. Find out more about the yarn brand/supplier here!
