American Sheep Magazine March 2026

INDUSTRY TOUR

Wool isn’t a detriment to the environment, it’s a natural product that works with nature.

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR WOOL WHY THIS MATTERS RIGHT NOW Sustainability scoring systems are start ing to shape policy, product labeling, buying decisions, and consumer trust. When tools built around synthetic-fiber assumptions are applied to natural fi bers like wool, they can create distorted comparisons, unfairly penalizing wool and misrepresenting its true environ mental impact. THE REAL PROBLEM The issue isn’t one specific program or policy, it’s the systems that compare natural fibers to synthetics using incom plete carbon logic. Traditional life-cycle models often treat all carbon emissions the same and only credit “permanent” removals, which can ignore how graz ing-based systems cycle carbon through photosynthesis, soil, and biodegradation. A STEP TOWARD BETTER SCIENCE The IWTO Green Book is a comprehen sive source for wool’s eco-credentials, and a step forward in getting the num bers to reflect what’s really happening on working ranches. It’s built around a biogenic carbon approach aligned with ISO 14067, verified by TÜV SÜD, and supported by peer-reviewed research. In plain terms: IWTO is creating a stronger, science-backed way to mea sure wool’s environmental impact and help ensure wool is judged fairly in the standards and scorecards shaping the market today.

EU-PEF V3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE SCORE PER LB

Why scoring matters: In this EU-PEF chart, a higher “environmental damage” score means a worse rating, and wool is scored far higher than many synthetics. Swan argues better biogenic carbon accounting should change how wool is measured and understood.

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