Is Wool Destroying the Planet?! Environmental Chemist Dissects the EU PEF Method
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Ya'll, I hope you are ready to be hit with ✨science✨
Also known as: Watch me stumble over the word “synthetic” for almost 20 minutes straight. 🙃
With special thanks to @Shannon Makes and my lovely partner for valuable feedback during the drafting stage.
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References:
1. ec.europa.eu/e...
2. publications.eu...
3. www.colorado.e...
4. www.ortlieb.co...
5. www.renmat.no/... (Norwegian link)
6. www.bbc.com/ne...
7. eeb.org/wp-con...
8. www.nature.com...
9. www.sciencedir...
10. www.bbc.com/fu...
11. making-stories...
12. www.theguardia...
13. • Nicole Foss Interview ...
14. www.europarl.e...
15. www.norrona.com...
16. www.bergans.co...
17. www.vox.com/th...
18. www.euroconsum...
19. clear.ucdavis....
20. www.theguardia...
21. www.makethelab...
22. www.makethelab...
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Love this video. Thank you.
I have so much to say... let's start with sheep.
My sheep build soil.
My sheep distribute manure and urine evenly, meaning I don't have to import fertilizers.
My sheep replace my gas-guzzling lawnmower.
Both these actions sequester carbon in the ground and build soil so that each year, the pasture grows better.
My sheep are happy to clear land of vegetation when I want to convert it to a garden
On Large farms (we're talking more than 1k sheep who use wool graders), every scrap of wool has value and is saved for processing, even if some of that is for industrial use. On my small farm, the wool that won't make good fabric is composted and adds a tremendous amount of nitrogen to the soil.
I also compost my old clothes that aren't good enough to pass on to a charity shop or be repaired. Then grow more food for the sheep (and the farmer) with the composted soil. What bugs me the most is the thread used in commercial 100% natural fibres, doesn't decompose. It's a pain to sift this out of the finished compost.
This winter, I wore a wool skirt for the first time while farming. A cotton skirt can last no more than 3 days of winter farmwork before being so dirty with mud and muck that it needs washing. But the wool skirt can go a month of daily wear. For some reason, the mud and muck won't stick to it. This is a life-changing discovery for me.
Natural clothing is so much more nuanced than that report suggests.
Thanks again for the video.
Yes. There is SO much more to farming and animal husbandry than just the saleable “output”. My own farmer friends talk about resilience and local suppliers and maintaining cultural landscapes and community and so, so much more beyond what they earn money doing.
I am so happy and honoured that you liked the video. ❤️
Thank you _so_ much for this video. I've been in dire need of a well-referenced resource to send to several vegan friends who think that synthetic fibers are somehow more environmentally friendly than animal fibers like wool. I'm a botanist, so I'm able to explain a lot of technical aspects of plant fibers and their production, but I don't have the technical expertise to fully explain the issues with synthetics. The ethics of animal husbandry are difficult to explain to people with minimal experience in ranching, since ethical animal treatment is simpler for free-range animals like sheep that can't really be raised in confinement. As a result, it's nice to have a video that summarizes a lot of the issues of synthetic fibers in comparison with natural ones.
I also really appreciate your mentioning that wool tends to be a low-value (or even negative-value) byproduct of the lamb/mutton industry. It's a problem I've heard a lot about from acquaintances in the fiber arts community (I'm also a hand-spinner) who want to get into animal husbandry for fiber production. In many parts of the US, there aren't even enough professional sheep-shearers to service all of the livestock, making sheep husbandry prohibitively expensive. (I've got a friend who's a shearer and she's busy _all the time,_ even though her rates are a bit higher than average.)
It is a complex issue to be sure. I mean, we definitely need to lower our consumption overall. But I do still think that responsible management of resources has its place. :)
As a former academic, I started laughing internally when the references started showing up on the screen.
Thank you for your work, and for this very needed shade. Lobbying sure is real huh.
Hahahaha, I just can’t help myself. Must. Have reference. For statements. 😂
@@KristineVike Hey, we all do it. Citing references is basically an academic reflex at this point. 😅
Another chapter for face/palm or just banging your head against the wall....
The big problem in the EU (and any other industrial country) is, that the rules and laws come from the industry and are not intended to make a sustainable world. Sustainable means industry is losing money and thats a big no, no. A skirt that is worn a year instead of 4 weeks is a problem for them, but luckily for them, the clothes are now so badly made that they will disintegrate after a few washes.
So the only way out, in this (and almost all areas) is to make my own stuff. We as consumers have to shift our priorities, because the industry and goventments wont do it.
Yup. This is a big reason I am making my own clothes too. There are ways to move forward sustainably, but it requires some serious rethink that most big industry just aren’t prepared for. But you’re right, we become bad consumers when our clothes last for years and years! :D
The problem with making your own stuff is that it's become difficult to find good or even acceptable garment fabric by the yard.
6:05 I would love to have wool in my allotment garden to make the soil better, instead of someone burning the wool.
Or let the wool be yarn! _I'd LOVE_ to crochet granny rectangle blankets with pure wool.
I 1000% agree!!! I never knew how bad synthetics were for the environment till I started to notice how much warmer/cooler natural fibres were and I started to make my own clothing because of that. This lead me to research different fibres more and boy have I become a natural fibre snob haha! Even just touching synthetic garments now they feel horrid and like plastic!
I live in Australia so the thing with wool is a bit different here but one way you might be able to tell if a wool garment is superwash treated is to check the care label.
If it says dry clean or hand wash only then it's likely to felt and therefor not be superwash treated. If it says wash on gentle cycle then it's likely treated :)
Hi from Tassie!
I'm also a natural fibre snob!
I do a lot of opshopping. I find enough 100% linen and 100% wool. I find plenty of other natural fibres as well.
There used to be a lovely farm near Hobart which had sheep that had pull-wool rather than shearing wool.
I've heard of goats with comb out fibre. I assume that some alpacas have similar pull or comb fibre options.
As an analytical chemist getting into sewing, I love this video. I hope you do more scientific topics and projects in the future.
That a good mixture! I meet a lot of people with both sewing and scientific backgrounds! 🥰
I'm a botanist who got into spinning several years back, so I also really appreciated the vid!
I didn’t know superwash treated wool was coated in plastic 😭
Synthetics are uncomfortable to wear, bad for the environment and end up in a landfill or burned, yet get a better score than wool 🤨 giving an objective score is a good idea to give customers a better idea of the environmental impact, but the scoring should be revised
Yeah, it’s really sad. I wish superwash wool was labelled clearly. 🙁
And yes! I agree that the thought behind the system is really good and could be very beneficial. Just… some revision recommended? Please? 😅
I'm late to this party but....I was pretty cross when I found out that some of my wool base and midlayers were 'superwashed' in this way. This accounted for the nagging feeling I'd had that some items were underperforming in terms of comfort etc. I've subsequently gone out of my way to find brands that use either an enzymatic method, which is less clean than Ideal but at least doesn't seal the wool with polyamide or rayon - or, better still, a so-called 'plasma' treatment which uses NO chemicals but just electricity and air, again with no end treatment of synthetics. As items wear out, and though I'm loath to admit it, sometimes before, I'm replacing the bleach/plastic treated stuff with enzymatic or, preferably, 'plasma' treated items. It can be exceedingly difficult to get an honest answer from some brands on this subject, but I have had honest responses from SOME brands which has led to me actually deciding not to purchase from them again because of the processes they use, which they seem to be somehow fine with, despite being less than upfront unless challenged directly. I have managed to find items that haven't been chemically ruined and a couple of brands that really are making the effort that so many only pretend to be making. I'm sure there others that I'm not yet aware of but, going forward, I shall definitely be seeking out brands that are honestly and with deliberation walking the walk rather than being self-servingly vague to the point of being fraudulent.
I had no idea that superwash wool was coated with plastic! This should be made explicit on the label, especially if it is labeled 100% WOOL. I was literally just about to knit my baby some mittens with superwash wool.
Right!!!???
I was shocked about this too!
I have to keep that in mind next time I buy wool.
As a side note the big pattern companies in the US have the fabric stores destroy unsold patterns when they're discontinued. This is also idiotic and wasteful
You are such good company when sewing!
Why, thank you! May your needles stay sharp, and your thread untwisted!
The sociological and environmental impact of oil extraction, with then the environmental impact of synthetic clothes' micro fibers, and then how much of it ends up in land fills and won't simply compost the way cotton or linnen would, made me resolve to try and only buy clothes with little to no polyester in them, bonus points of the fabric isn't mixed fibers.
I never bothered to do this with lingerie or socks because that'd be near impossible - but I found that as a woman the only sort of winter garment I could buy was a woolen sweater.
Even for the clothes I make myself it is harder and harder to find fabrics without any variety of polyester, or elastane.
It's such an incredible uphill battle, I can't even. But the moment people try to tell me wool is more damaging to the environment than polyester, I simply assume flawed research.
So true! Everything is plastic nowadays! Ugh!
I'm not an environmental chemist but I took one look at the ratings for different fibres and went 'no no no, this can't be right?'
Yeah, it certainly made me curious!
I couldn't find them even with the links in the video... could you please share the link to the rankings? Thank you!!!
Thank you for the informative video.
I was just 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ Always some initiative gets started with good intentions, and goes off in a totally different direction.
Side note from Australia: here the great thing about sheep meats is that, in terms of water usage, they are one of the least impactful foods around. I would argue that, combined with regenerative ruminant agricultural methods, sheep could also make a positive impact on reducing CO2 levels.
I also think that animal herds have a place in sustainable agriculture to a certain extend.
They are going in a similar ecological niche as the large herbivore herds that used to roam grasslands.
In Europe we also have the phenomenon that some landscapes were entirely created by humans and have then been colonized by a lot of species that are now under protection. That happend thousands of years ago.
For example, the hare is a steppe animal, but immigrated into Europe when humans starting to clear the forests and make fields. (Europe would be nearly entirely forested if not for humans.) Field hamsters too.
In the Rhön mountains there are limestone hills that house a variety of rare orchids and other rare plants, but these hills are only covered by meadows and not forest because they were used as pastures for centuries. If you took the sheep away, they would soon be grown over again and the plant species lost from the region.
That's why they deliberately use the traditional Rhön sheep (black head, white fleece) to keep these landscapes open. Sheep farming is not particularly profitable, but the state supports it in the name of species protection.
This is great information to be aware of!
Also - I did NOT know that about superwash 😬 I know what I’m not buying anymore 😞
I am so happy you found it useful!
Yeah, the superwash issue is a challenge. It's a dream to spin and knit with, as the resulting garments can handle rougher treatment and washing.
However, you may not have to completely avoid superwash wool if you're willing to do a bit of research. The term "superwash" simply means that the fiber has been treated in some way to be smoother, either by somehow removing the little scales (by a sort of acid bath) or by coating the whole fiber in a synthetic resin. This means that while we should generally avoid the plastic-coated superwash, the acid-treated kind is generally fairly environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't generally label their fiber and yarn with the type of superwash processing, so you may need to consult the manufacturer directly.
I'm a spinner, and can have occasionally seen resin-free superwash fiber available. I only see it from smaller producers and in smaller batches, though. So my advice is to consider a bit of detective work! You may find a fiber/yarn producer that could provide you with some ethical, eco-friendly materials!
(Side note: Acid-treated superwash takes up dye _amazingly_ well! I've only dabbled in dyeing, but the colors that result from the superwash fiber are brilliant and intense.)
Kristine this video is brilliant. Useful in my work life and personal life. Why are we wasting so much wool!!!!
Thank you, it was such a labor of love! 🐑
Thank you so much for this fascinating video! I hope you will make many more videos like it in the future.
Any chance you and science educator Simon Clark would collaborate on a further video on this? You explain this so well, and his platform's audience would definitely also be interested to hear from you on this
Thank you! Pause and sip your tea!!!
Never! I bring it and completely forget it’s there. 😂
All of your content is FASCINATING. Thank you so much from the incredible work you're doing!
Thank you so much for enjoying it! They are a labor of love for sure!
as a fiber artist i hate the idea that wool and other natural fibers are being trashed by a government
I love how you take all sides into account. You gave me a few things to think about. I know our family could do better 😀
This makes me so happy! I think there are always things to learn and to try and try to do better. 😊
So so important and interesting! I would love to see a video on the effects of various chemicals used in textile and other production on hormonal systems. What a great channel!
This might be a little outside your channel's ambit, but if it's not, I'd be interested to hear your views on shopping bags.
I've seen a couple of videos (or seen a video & read an article, don't remember which) stating that, from a CO2 production point of view, cotton shopping bags are the worst. The polypropylene bags are the next worst and the single use plastic bags are the least bad. Again, according to what I've seen, the cotton bags need to be used between about 170 and 400 times to break even with the plastic bags on the CO2 production front. Both the video/s and the article appeared to be based on the same research (Danish from circa 2012 if I remember correctly), which is why they come to the same conclusion.
Now, there are undoubtedly a lot of environmental issues with cotton - but I'm not sold on the idea that cotton bags are the worst. (Full disclosure here: I've been using cotton bags and avoiding single use bags for years before single use plastic bags were outlawed where I live. Said bags get used and used again - and put through the wash if they look a bit manky.) The cotton bags do last well and, unlike the polypropylene ones, don't start to self-destruct and leave little blobs and puffs of green fibre all over the place, harbingers of sudden, catastrophic breakdowns when filled with heavy items. Theoretically the polypropylene ones can be put through the wash but they'd need a load to themselves because of that fibre shedding. They don't last as long as the cotton ones.
It also seems to me that there is scope for greater use of linen and hemp to replace cotton. Hemp doesn't require a lot of water (a very significant issue in Australia). Does the processing of these fibres negate some of their good qualities - there is a lot of work involved in getting the flax you harvest into a state where it can be spun.
Yeah. I use cotton bags for a variety of things and even do things like, combine two into one for a sturdier bag. I even darn or patch them if there are holes in them. They will get used until they fall apart.
I really enjoy this vidéo! Thank you for sharing the info!
Thank you for the final conclusion, I have to admit I am lost most of the time in the references as I am not living in the EU and my country is even less regulated, so knowing that wool is not destroying the environment is a big relief 😮😅 but also superwash wool is wool coated with plastic 😮??? My anxiety is sky-high again! I recently bought from the thrift store lots of superwash scrappy yarns thinking I'm saving good wool from the landfill 😢
You are still saving good wool from the landfill.
I think that using a product that is already in circulation, even when it's not ideal, is better than letting it go to the landfill.
But now you know what to look for when you buy new wool in a yarn shop. If the demand for this product decreases, they will stop producing it.
@@johannageisel5390 thank you! I have made 4 pairs of socks from thrifted sock yarn and they are very comfortable! I have also reclaimed 1 kg of yarn from sweaters (probably acrylic) to crochet gift blankets instead of buying new yarn, it's definitely possible once I became aware of it, once again lots of appreciation for your educational videos!
a bit late to the party, but this was a very interesting discussion. Tusen takk Kristine!
Thank you! I am so glad people are liking the sciency videos because my goodness, they are terrifying to put out there.
Whoa. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. Would love to see more videos like this, I learned a lot!
I am so glad you liked it! 😊
You're on my recommendation sinceee dayssss. loveee you
I was reading some superwash is coated in biodegradable resin, not plastic. It depends on the manufacturer
I wish I could like this video 100000 times!
I'm relieved that wool is not destroying the planet lol. But I had no idea about super wash! Can you tell us how one would identify it if it wasn't labeled?
Oh, that’s a really good question! I only mostly have “at home” checks that aren’t appropriate before buying, sadly. Like how superwash wool doesn’t felt, or how the sweater I bought before I became more aware of this doesn’t air out bad smells like all the other wools I have, but retains a certain “synthetic stink”. 😬 something that is worth looking into more, for sure!
@@KristineVike Yeah that's interesting. I suppose there's always the little microscopes that can hook up to your phone. I've been tempted to get one to try with thrifting. I imagine you'd be able to see a difference in fibers...
I am very late but you could check the care label. If you can machine wash it (or even machine wash at 40°C!), it is certainly superwash. If it wasn't, you would destroy your garment.
this was great, so clear and really useful. thank you !
I am so glad it was useful!
Amazing video thank you! I was wondering if, even though pef might not incentivice repair or longer waranties... i can include this via the functional unit definition. Imagine i assess a phone with 1 year waranty and a phone with 20 year waranty and software updates... if i assume a function with a 15 years having the functionality of a phone.. the amount of phones needed per functional unit would decrease. Basically the purchase amount decreases ith improved waranty...
Veldig bra at du setter fokus på dette!!!
Takk! 🥰
Thank you, this was really fascinating. I live in Australia where we have a large wool industry, it's interesting to see what is happening to the industry in other parts of the world.
I wish I could wear wool! I am so for it as a sustainable natural fibre, but I am extremely allergic to it. Sadly I can't wear it at all without getting giant welts and itchy rashes😔Does anyone have any suggestions for wool alternatives? I'd love to make a historical cloak but have no idea what to use that isn't wool. Annoyingly, I am also allergic to wool from other animals like goats and alpacas, I've tried them all 🙃(eg. Cashmere, Mohair, Angora). Any ideas?
Oh no, that sounds really awful!
The closest in behaviour to wool would be silk, since it is also an animal-based fiber. I haven’t used it too much since I try to keep local to Europe, but I hear it is supremely warm. But it does have a very different look. I do love the look of some of the thicker, slubbier tussah peace silks though.
Alternately, I have been *very* surprised by how warm plant fibers like linen can be. All I ever heard was how good it is for summer and warm weather, but my long-sleeved, collared nightshift is the warmest sleeping garment I have ever made!
I’m also assuming you’ve tried this, but if you really want the wool look, have you tested lining wool with one or more layers of fabric you don’t react to? That seems very risky to me when you’re allergic, so it wouldn’t be my first choice, but it’d certainly be very warm… and very heavy!
@@KristineVike Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful response. I will certainly consider silk!
Linen is amazing. I'm currently making a walking skirt out of a heavyweight linen and its a wonderful fabric. I think I might even have enough fabric left over to make a matching jacket or waistcoat.
You're right, I have tried to wear wool over layers of other fabrics but my skin is far too sensitive. I figured out that I'm also allergic to alpaca because I bought myself an alpaca doona (is it a duvet in Europe??). It was beautifully warm but gave me me nasty welts rash even through the layers of sheets and pyjamas. Ah well. At least I can still wear cotton and linen.
It's funny, the wool allergy is kind of the least annoying allergy that I have. I worked out a few months ago that I am allergic to sunlight ☀ (aka a severe photosensitivity disorder). Wild right?! Apparently other pale people walk around and don't feel like they're getting sunburnt all the time?!? It's been tough learning about all of this, but I'm happy to be getting some answers now.
I'm embracing my newly discovered vampirism by learning how to make myself an 1890s outfit. Since hats, gloves and parasols are now a permanent part of my wardrobe, I figured I'd just lean completely into the Victorian aesthetic 🧛🏻♀
Oooof, I can really sympathize with the sun sensitivity! Only a few years ago my light-sensitive migraines suddenly got way, way worse. That ball of fire in the sky can mean serious business!! ☀️🔥
Victorian-Vampirism-but-also-for medical-reasons aesthetics unite! 😅🧛♀️
Nicole Rudolf did a wonderful video on wool! She talks about what you might specifically be allergic to in wool, and how you miiiiiight be able to wear a few specific types of wool. Highly reccomend.
Thank you!
I like this video
I love how this video got fact-checked for climate change. It was never about truth or helping. 😂