Highly valued
With a heritage stretching back to 10,000 BC, wool is a fibre that has withstood the tests of time and fashion. Naturally hard-wearing and long-lasting, wool comes from sheep farmed across the world. Although only a fraction of garments now use wool, its thermal qualities are still highly valued.
Responsible Wool Standard
Currently, the wool industry produces around 1,160 million kilograms (kg) of clean wool per year from a global herd of around 1.16 billion sheep. Each sheep yields about 4.5kg of wool per year – enough to produce 10 metres of fabric or about six sweaters.
Wool represents 1% of the world’s total fibre production. It is the most used animal-based fibre in the industry. While the global wool production has been declining over the years, the market share of initiatives such as the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is increasing.
Major wool producers are China, Australia and New Zealand, with the UK, Iran, Russia and South Africa having sizeable production. Australia is the biggest exporter of wool, and China the largest importer.
Through our membership of Textile Exchange, we are engaging in animal welfare and land management discussions, and we have committed to sourcing all our wool as organic, recycled or according to the Responsible Wool Standard by 2025.
Wool is biodegradable, water-retentive and flame-resistant, making it a useful material for making warm (outdoor) clothing. However, there are both environmental and animal welfare concerns related to producing wool.
Goals for 2025
At BESTSELLER, we have a goal to source all of our wool from certified sources by 2025 – meaning certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) or equivalent standards, organic wool or recycled wool.
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary global standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and of the land they graze on.
On farms, the certification ensures that sheep are treated with respect to their five freedoms and also ensures best practices in the management and protection of the land.
The RWS is a Textile Exchange standard.
Although the Responsible Wool Standard is the backbone of “responsibly sourced wool” claims, BESTSELLER is not certified by RWS as a company. Therefore, brands are not authorised to use the RWS standard name (Responsible Wool Standard) and its logo on products or in any communication materials.