Defining organic wool

Organic

Organic movement

The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic farming, which is a more sustainable mode of agriculture...

 wool

Wool

Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....

 yarn

Yarn

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...

 is wool that is from sheep that have not been exposed to chemicals like pesticides and are kept in humane and good farm conditions. The Organic Wool Factsheet of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) gives a detailed description of what does and does not constitute organic wool.

"The O'Mama Report" of the OTA identifies "land management, livestock management, scouring processes, spinning processes and dyeing processes" as key factors that determine whether a wool yarn or product can be certified as organic.

Companies worldwide selling organic wool

New Zealand

Blue House Yarns

Treliske Organic

Australia

Australian Organic Wool

Eco Yarns

USA

Maggie's Organics

Maggie's Organics

Maggie's Organics is a brand of clothing and toys made from certified organic cotton and wool fibers, using fair trade production and distribution methods. They are considered notable for their involvement in the development of organic and fair trade standards for apparel. The company was founded...

O-Wool

Treehugger

Zen Sheep Farm Lamb and wool

UK

Garthenor Organic Pure Wool

Cornish Organic Wool

Ystrad Traditional Organics