The Wool Wire | December 11, 2024

News snippets from the wool world

Hello, my friends!

Fresh on the heels of that retail frenzy anchored by Black Friday, I thought it would be healing to turn our attention to those who are working to slow the cycle of consumption, whether by reusing and repurposing what already exists or being more responsible about how they put new things into the world.

That's really the question, isn't it? Can one engage with the highly problematic fashion industry in a way that models some form of responsibility and accountability?

I've admired the Norwegian retailer Northern Playground for their efforts, along with those of Swedish footwear brand Icebug (whose studded winter boots have become a critical and beloved part of my winter gear).

Asket and you shall Receive-it

Here's another for the list of potential responsible players, a clothing brand called Asket, also from Sweden. I appreciate that they have only one, permanent clothing line—no seasons or trends.

Their men's coats are gorgeous, as are their wool knitwear offerings for men and women. Everything is made in the EU, with full supply chain transparency and lifecycle responsibility.

iinouiio and Out and Back In Again

In the UK, the textile recycling specialist iinouiio (and no, that isn't a typo) has partnered with two other businesses to create a recycled Merino wool yarn with offcuts that would otherwise go into the landfill. As a bonus, those offcuts come from a solar-powered factory in the Lake District. Here's an article all about it.

Recycling Textile Waste in India

Wool recycling isn't just happening in the EU and the UK. India has established a foothold on the market as well, as outlined in this helpful article. The author positions one company in particular, Jindal Textile, as the key driver of wool recycling in India. (I found this video that walks you through the recycling process at Jindal, if you're curious.)

From Fiberglass to Fiber

We've seen wool used as an effective alternative to fiberglass insulation. Now, a New Zealand-based innovation company is exploring the feasibility of using wool as a replacement for the fiberglass that is often added to gypsum plasterboard for stability.

The experiments are in their early days still. But the mere fact that New Zealand's largest gypsum plasterboard manufacturer would be open to talking with them, and letting them develop and trial new products at one of their plants, is a win in itself. And if it worked, this could open up a whole new level of possibility on a global scale. Here's the full article.

From the Opera to the Outdoors

Finally, here's a brand we haven't talked about much yet: Forloh. They specialize in high-performance outdoor clothing for hunting and fishing, and they make everything in the United States.

While most of their things are heavy on the camo and plastic, I'm intrigued by this reversible quilted wool jacket that features ripstop nylon on one side, a woven wool facing on the other, and plump wool insulation sandwiched in between. I'm not sure how often anyone would do this, but the idea is that you can go from fancy to feral simply by flipping the coat inside out.

I'm a total convert to wool puffer jackets, having worn an older version of this Icebreaker coat through several Maine winters. It's light and warm and breathes like a champ, and in my dreams, more companies would ditch the plastic and switch to wool.

On that note, I'll let you go.

Thanks, as always, for your readership and your support.

Until next time,

Clara