**You might think wool is always sustainable… think again**

Organic wool: what exactly is it?
And when is wool organic — or not?

My blog about superwash and our love for wool (which we certainly don't hide) always receives a lot of questions. Very fair questions, by the way. Because: what is the deal with wool, really? Isn't animal cruelty just a fact of wool production? And what was mulesing again? Recently, I received a whole list of questions on Instagram under a post — from someone who is actually against wearing wool. Well, try giving a good, honest answer to that in just a few sentences…

This blog is not intended to convince you that organic wool is 100% perfect. But it is intended to inform you. What do we actually mean by ‘organic wool’? And what does it say — or not say? You decide for yourself whether (organic) wool is right for you. But preferably based on good information.

And that is exactly what I want to share with you here. No sales pitches, no woolly PR. Just: what is organic wool, how do you recognize it, what are the differences from regular wool, which quality marks exist — and why we at Natur-el consciously choose them.

What is organic wool?

Organic wool comes from sheep that live the way sheep should live: with enough space, no preventive antibiotics, healthy food, and no animal-unfriendly procedures like mulesing. Something important also happens after shearing: the wool is washed and processed in a natural way, without chemical agents or plastic coatings. The result? A pure, breathable wool that retains its natural strength.

The big difference from ‘regular’ wool is often in the **superwash treatment**. In this process, the wool is smoothed with acid and coated with a plastic layer so that it doesn't shrink in the wash. Sounds handy, but it removes the natural properties of wool. And it is anything but sustainable.

What is mulesing?

Since we are on the subject of animal welfare: mulesing is perhaps the biggest pain point in wool production. It is a procedure in which the skin around the backside of young lambs is cut away to prevent parasites. Without anesthesia. This still happens a lot, especially in Australia. And let me be very clear about this:

At Natur-el, no wool enters our collection that has been subjected to mulesing. Never.

Which quality marks can you trust?

A quality mark is only valuable if it actually means something. About the origin of the wool, about the animal, the farmer, and about how the garment is ultimately made. These are the quality marks we stand behind:

• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): Strict quality mark that looks at both organic cultivation and social criteria throughout the entire chain. For wool, this also means checks on animal welfare and processing.
• IVN BEST: The strictest quality mark that exists for natural textiles, especially in Germany. Rarely used, but when it is on there, you know: this is good.
• KbT (Kontrolliert biologische Tierhaltung): Focuses specifically on animal welfare. Always mulesing-free, always organic farming.
• RWS (Responsible Wool Standard): Says nothing about organic origin, but does address animal welfare and land management. A valuable step in the right direction.

Our choices (and our honest story)

At Natur-el, we consciously choose organic wool, but we are also honest about the gray areas. Brands like Engel Natur, Hirsch Natur, Hocosa, and Living Crafts use exclusively GOTS-certified wool. But there are also brands that work in a GOTS-certified factory, while the wool is "only" RWS-certified.

Why that difference? Because it is incredibly expensive to have the raw material (the wool) certified GOTS or IVN BEST as well. Sometimes that is not financially or logistically feasible for small brands. Does that mean the product is bad? Certainly not. But we do think it is important to mention it.

We, too, learn something new every day. Sometimes we have to swallow hard when it turns out that a product is not quite 100% traceable. But we never do one thing: hide, cover up, or paint a prettier picture than it is. We ask questions of suppliers and pass those answers on to you. Because that is what we mean by sustainable: being transparent, even when it’s uncomfortable.

How to recognize organic wool

Look for clear quality marks, such as GOTS, IVN BEST, or KbT. Read carefully to see if it mentions “mulesing-free” or “untreated.” And especially ask if you are in doubt – with us, you will get an honest answer. No smoke screens, no marketing talk. Wool is a beautiful material, if you know where it comes from.

Check: the most important quality marks for wool

*Note: no quality mark is perfect. Look at the big picture, ask questions, and use your common sense.

Want to know more?

In a future blog, I will tell you more about alpaca! Did you know that alpaca is actually not wool?

And as always: if you have questions, ask them. We love to share our knowledge.

Best regards,
Vera

Read and view further

• What is mulesing?
• Read more about organic wool