Wool is one of the most remarkable fibers that we know of. It's soft, warm, breathable, and hypo-allergenic...perfect for use in a baby's room. However, as I delved into my pursuit to find natural wool bedding and clothes for Ada, I discovered that the large scale sheep shearing business in Australia (where a significant portion of the world's merino wool originates from) is terrifying and disgraceful. Check out the video...but be forewarned that it is extremely graphic so watch with caution: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4595645622036014391
Never again will I simply buy a wool product unless I know where it comes from and how the animals have been treated. I realize this will be difficult and probably more expensive but fortunately here in Oregon we have the Oregon Wool Growers Association that consists of small family farmers who sell wool products. I'd rather buy close to home where I can see firsthand how the sheep are treated.
2 comments:
Although I am horrified by the video...I thank you for opening my eyes to the situation. It seems like at every turn...society makes it even more difficult to do the right thing.
you are right about the Australian wool. My much lamented, closed yarn shop owner simply would not carry any Australian products because of that. Label reading is a very time-consuming habit of mine.
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