What is upcycled wool?
Upcycled wool is a natural, animal-derived, biodegradable, thermoregulating, antibacterial and strong material that has been reclaimed so it can be made into something new.
Wool fibre most often comes from sheep's fleece, but it can also be made from the hair of goats, rabbits or alpacas, for example. When wool comes from an animal other than sheep, its name changes: for example, we call it cashmere when the fibre comes from the cashmere goat.
Conventional wool has many downsides, particularly for the environment but also for animals (see What is wool?).
Upcycled wool lets this material be reused without heavy processing.
Most of the time, upcycled fabrics come from donated clothes and household linen, but also from industrial end-of-rolls or designers' offcuts (from major fashion houses and small designers alike).
Why is upcycled wool eco-friendly ?
Upcycled material is used directly on site. No need to bring it in from far away: it is reused locally. This avoids the environmental footprint of transport.
The material is rescued just before it would certainly have been thrown away or burnt. Reusing it not only reduces the harmful effects of landfill and of CO2 in the atmosphere, but also cuts down the production of new fabrics.
Making new fabrics uses energy and water (even recycled fabrics). So not producing new material saves that energy.
On top of its environmental side, upcycling usually has a social side too. Reusing material locally often brings jobs back to France, frequently through social integration enterprises that help people far from employment find lasting, rewarding work.
