Woolmark unveils roadmap to accelerate wool sustainability
Woolmark, the global authority on wool, has launched a comprehensive sustainability roadmap called ‘Woolmark+,’ aiming to unite woolgrowers, supply chains, and brands in a concerted effort to enhance wool’s sustainability. This new initiative promotes low-impact wool production, improves circularity, and enhances animal welfare and woolgrower livelihoods.
The Woolmark+ roadmap outlines 13 practical initiatives that span the entire wool value chain, from on-farm practices to end-market strategies. These initiatives are designed to empower nature regeneration, reduce carbon emissions, and optimize productivity, aligning woolgrowers’ business objectives with the growing demand from brands and suppliers to enhance biodiversity and reduce Scope 3 emissions.
Key Initiatives of Woolmark+
One of the key highlights of the Woolmark+ roadmap is a groundbreaking carbon insetting program, which aims to create an Australian-wide wool-insetting market. This program will connect woolgrowers with global brands, enabling them to meet their emissions targets through on-farm, nature-based solutions.
The roadmap also features nine research and development projects focused on reducing methane emissions in sheep through the use of feed additives. Early results have shown promising reductions in methane output, with a 19 percent decrease using Agolin and a 50 percent reduction observed in sheep consuming Asparagopsis (seaweed).
Additionally, Woolmark+ includes nature-positive farming specifications developed in collaboration with woolgrowers and industry partners. These specifications provide credible measures of on-farm environmental performance, allowing brands to make defensible claims about the sustainability of their wool products.
Another significant initiative is the Nature Positive Impact program, which aims to connect investors with research, development, and conservation projects focusing on reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, promoting climate resilience, and supporting circularity within the wool industry.
To further bolster wool’s sustainability credentials, Woolmark has introduced ‘Woolmark Recycled,’ a new sub-brand within the Woolmark Certification program. This addition encourages the production of quality-assured, recycled wool products, reinforcing wool’s status as the most recycled fiber in the apparel industry.
The roadmap also includes initiatives aimed at improving ewe and lamb well-being, eliminating harmful chemicals, and enhancing transparency in wool production through quality assurance certifications. By setting a new standard for sustainable wool production, Woolmark’s Woolmark+ roadmap seeks to position the wool industry as a leader in the global movement towards nature-positive practices, ensuring that the commitments of woolgrowers to environmental stewardship are both recognized and supported.
