BENEFITS OF WOOL
Sustainable Living Fabrics uses Australian wool in our 100% wool and wool rich fabric ranges. Wool is rapidly renewable fibre, and our yarns have been independently tested and audited at all stages of production to comply with EU eco label criteria.
Australia maintains world class animal health and welfare standards, as well as having strict regional and national bio-security programs to prevent the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases. There are many rigorous restrictions regarding certain herbicides and pesticides that can be used around Australian livestock, ensuring the quality of the wool and the safety of the sheep producing the wool.
Australia is guided by the 5 Freedoms for the Welfare of Animals:
1. Freedom from Hunger and thirst
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease
4. Freedom to express normal behaviours
5. Freedom fear and distress.
Wool yarns have an outstanding mechanical stretch which can not be replicated synthetically, they return into shape and keep performing, maintaining their appearance over time, this makes them perfect for Heavy Duty Commercial textile requirements.
PROPERTIES OF WOOL
Natural Comfort
Thanks to wools hygroscopic abilties the fabric constantly reacts to changes in body temperature maintaining the thermophysical comfort of the user, not only soft and warm to sit on in normal room temperatures which most of us live and work in now with the almost universal use of air conditioning, it is also comfortable in hot humid conditions. This is because wool has the ability to absorb moisture vapour, up to 30 per cent of its weight without feeling wet. Great for environments where we are seated for long periods of time.
Safe
Wool is not known to cause allergies and does not promote the growth of bacteria, mould and mildew. PFAs (and their close cousins PFOAs, PFCs and PFOs), some of the “forever chemicals” used in synthetic fabrics to make them behave, are generally not required.
Low VOC's
Absorbs harmful pollutants from the air and it doesn’t re-emit them until it's time to lightly vacuum. It is estimated that wool used in interiors can help purify the air for 30 years. Certified low in volatile organic compound emissions, for Indoor environmental quality optimisation (e.g. air quality, thermal comfort, and acoustic comfort). This can drive productivity gains plus also improve occupant health and wellbeing, ensuring suitability for use on furniture and acoustic panels in Green Star rated projects.
Renewable
Each year sheep produce a fleece, making wool a natural and renewable resource. Wool growers actively work to safeguard the environment and improve efficiency, to make the wool industry sustainable for future generations.
Biodegradable
At the end of its useful life wool can be returned to the soil where it decompsoes releasing valuable nutrients to the ground.
Sustainable
Our fabrics are produced to strict criteria to ensure their production has minimum impact on the environment, we have high expectations of our mills to maintain environmental excellence, from chemical usage to waste management and source specifically from raw wool independently tested and certified compliant with EU Ecolabel criteria for raw wool.
Naturally Fire Retardant.
Wool fabrics are difficult to ignite and have low flame spread and heat release properties, don’t melt and have superior self-extinguishing qualities. The perfect product for projects requiring strict fire safety conformance.
All of our fabrics are independently tested to the Australian Standards prescribed by the BCA for the fire performance of interior textiles.
Easy Care
The opposite of synthetic fibre, wool is naturally anti-static keeping it cleaner for longer. Static attracts lint, dirt, and dust.