WOOL

Unravelled by Pauline Lloyd

Recently, I received a request for an article about wool. The Vegan Society (UK) has already written an article about how wool is obtained from sheep and the injuries and suffering that can occur in the process and the Vegan Society (NSW) has covered some of the hazards of transporting live sheep in their article 'Ships of Shame'. So in my article, I am going to write about the places where you are most likely to find wool and tell you about some of the alternatives that vegans can use instead of woollen products.

'Wool' is usually defined as the protective covering of the domesticated sheep. It's a soft, warm, light, elastic material which is made from the protein keratin and is in fact, the ideal material for keeping sheep warm and dry in the winter. However, because of its good insulating properties, wool is commonly used in the manufacture of many garments and household items and vegans, therefore, need to be vigilant when purchasing new items for their wardrobe or home. You should also be aware that certain other animal fibres can also be referred to as 'wool'. These animal fibres are obtained from goats, rabbits, vicuna, guanaco, llama, alpaca and camels and can be used alone or can be mixed in with sheep's wool in products. So keep a sharp look out for the words angora, kashmir (cashmere), mohair and shahtoosh, particularly on balls of yarn or on knitted garments and avoid items which contain these animal products.

Wool Alert!

You are most likely to find wool (or the other animal fibres mentioned above) in the following items:

Clothes - Coats, skirts, jackets, suits and knitted items such as socks, hats, gloves, scarves and jumpers.
Household Items - Blankets, carpets, rugs, upholstery and sometimes in pillows and mattress stuffing.
In Craft Shops - Knitting/crocheting yarns, tapestry wool and in coloured felt squares.
Felt - Felt is made from unspun wool and/or other natural or synthetic fibres which are subjected to moisture, heat, agitation and pressure so that the fibres matt together to form a dense cloth. Felt is used in the inking pads of automatic printers, in soundproofing materials, in hats and in the dampers on pianos and other musical instruments. It can also be used in packaging.
Lanolin - Raw wool is covered with fat which is removed and purified to give the product lanolin. You will find lanolin in many pharmaceuticals (e g ointments), cosmetics (particularly in lipsticks and creams/lotions), printing inks, lubricating greases and varnishes.

Winter Warmers

As you can see, from the above list, wool is found in many places. So which products should vegans buy if they want to avoid wool? Fortunately, there are now many synthetic alternatives available and some natural fibres, such as cotton, can also be used instead of wool. I hope that you will find the following ideas useful, as vegans like sheep, need to be well insulated in the winter!

Socks - It is usually fairly easy to purchase ordinary, wool-free socks from most department stores. Select socks labelled as cotton, elastane, nylon, acrylic, polyester or lycra and avoid any labelled 'wool rich' or 'wool blend'. Unfortunately, lamb's wool is often found in socks, too, Always check sock labels carefully as socks which appear to be synthetic can often contain small amounts of wool. Thick walking socks can be more difficult to obtain, as they commonly contain wool, so if you are having trouble finding some, then you may be interested to know that Ethical Wares sells two sorts of non-woollen, walking socks. (More about these later.)

Gloves - If you want a really thick, warm pair of non-wool gloves, then I would recommend ski gloves. (They usually have a good selection of these in the ski department at branches of C & A.) Generally, made from polyester and/or nylon, ski gloves often have a thinsulate lining for extra warmth and are usually fairly waterproof, too. If you just want ordinary knitted gloves, then acrylic gloves are nearly as warm as woollen ones and are usually fairly easy to find. For cycling, I have a pair of knitted, acrylic, but thinsulate-lined gloves. These are warmer than ordinary knitted gloves and are ideal for cycling as they are thin enough to change gear easily but have the extra warmth which is needed to keep frost off the hands! I obtained my non-wool, ladies, version from Littlewoods (available in cream, grey and black. Price Ł5.00.) and mention them here as most of the knitted gloves, with a thinsulate lining, are made from wool. If you are feeling very rich, then some outdoor shops sell Sticky Windy Extremeties Clothing, Windstopper Fleece Gloves which are supposed to be suitable for walkers, joggers and cyclists. Price Ł27.99.

Hats/Scarves - you will find a good selection of warm, polyester hats and scarves in the ski department of C & A and knitted acrylic hats are also available in many shops, too. Avoid felt hats (or those with felt trimmings) and of course fluffy angora hats.

Jumpers - Acrylic jumpers are usually fairly warm and 100% Cotton jumpers are also fairly easy to find, if you prefer to wear natural materials. (Do read the labels carefully though, as I found silk mixed in with one cotton jumper.) Mohair is often used in jumpers and if a jumper looks 'fluffy' then it might well contain either angora or lambswool.

Fleeces - Sheep aren't the only ones with fleeces, I have one too and I live in mine! Most fleeces are made from polyester and they can be really warm, so if you don't like jumpers then a fleece may be a possibility, instead. They are ideal for cycling, walking, sailing, especially if it's a little chilly. I even wear an old one indoors and save a fortune in heating bills! Prices vary from about Ł16.00 - Ł100.00.

Slippers - Although I did not see any labelled as containing wool, quite a few of the slippers I examined looked as if they might contain wool. Slipper labelling isn't very clear and the upper fabric is frequently labelled as 'textile' without specifying what it is made from, so if you think that a pair of slippers may contain wool, then buy a different sort, instead.

Floor Coverings - Wool is commonly used in the manufacture of both carpets and rugs, so if you want to stop using wool, then really you need to look at alternative floor coverings, too. Many synthetic kinds of carpets are now available, if you desperately want carpets, but I personally do not like synthetic carpets as they are not as biodegradable as carpets which are made from natural materials, such as wool. Also, as my husband is asthmatic, we have been trying to replace some of our carpets (when they wear out) with other materials which do not produce as much dust. I have recently covered one floor with cork tiles, as cork is an excellent insulating material, is biodegradable and is produced sustainably without harm to the tree. Other alternatives to carpeting are quarry tiles, sisal, jute and coir matting, bare sanded floor boards, linoleum (made from powdered cork) and parquet flooring. All of these are natural, biodegradable alternatives to synthetic carpet which tends to be made from either polypropylene, nylon, polyester, or from a mixture of all of these materials. Do remember if you are replacing an old carpet, that if it is made from a natural material such as wool and isn't foam backed, then it is excellent for making new raised beds, or as a mulch in the garden. So, don't throw it away!

Knitting Yarns - No need for vegans to give up knitting, if they want to avoid wool, as there are many types of non-wool yarn available. If you have a branch of Littlewoods nearby, then try the Berkertex range of wools. Berkertex Baby Double Knitting (50% acrylic, 50% nylon) is available in many pastel colours - blue, pink, pale green, lemon, white (Ł1.99) and rainbow for Ł2.20/100 g. There is also baby 4 ply (50% acrylic, 50% nylon) at Ł1.10/50 g. For Adults there is a Double Knitting (100% acrylic) at Ł1.69/100 g, a Chunky Boucle (99% Acrylic, 1% Polyester) Ł1.99/100 g, an aran (100% acrylic) for Ł1.69 and a Chunky (100% acrylic) at Ł1.69/100 g. All of these wools are available in a wide variety of colours. Other suitable baby wools (which you will probably find in a knitting/craftshop) are Patons Fairytale Double Knitting (Ł1.79/50 g), Patons Little Angel (4 ply) and Sidar Snuggly Quick knit, price Ł1.80/50 g. I have not discovered any types of suitable tapestry wool yet - all the ones I looked at contained wool. However, I am told that it is possible to use non-wool knitting yarn for making tapestries instead and you could always take up cross stitch embroidery - DMC produce embroidery thread made from 100% cotton.

Mail Order Products:
If you are having difficulty finding non-wool products locally, then you may be interested in the following selection of items which are available by mail order:
The Natural Collection - sells a range of organically grown cotton socks. Prices Ł3.00 - Ł7.50.
* Ethical Wares - sell two pairs of non-wool, walking socks. Available in size 37-42 or 42-46. These were priced at Ł7.95 and Ł8.95 in my last catalogue.
Greenfibres - offer a nice heavy weight, cream, unisex, organic cotton, cable knit sweater. Sizes: S, M, L, XL. Price Ł57.00.
Traidcraft - sells a roll neck, handknitted, 100% cotton sweater which is made in Nepal. One size fits up to 38" chest (ref:52353). Price Ł39.99. Available in navy. They also offer two jute handwoven matts. Size 175 x 90 cm (ref:20672). Price Ł21.99. (Made in India) Size 175 x 120 cm (ref:20214) Price Ł24.99. (Made in Bangladesh)
For the addresses of the above companies visit the address file.
*Vegan Company.

Other Related Websites
1. The Vegan Society (UK) - Wool
2. Vegan Society (NSW) - 'Ships of Shame'
3. Clone in Sheep's Clothing - All about Dolly
4. The Vegan Society (UK) - Silk
Back to Main Index.
January 1998 Issue
Copyright Š Pauline Lloyd 1998

Unravelled by Pauline Lloyd

Wool Alert!

Winter Warmers

Mail Order Products:

Other Related Websites