Sustainable wool, so what is that exactly?

Sustainability is definitely always a hot topic in the Fashion industry these days. It will often concern the use of sustainable materials, the type of finishing process or the conditions under which the products are made. But when it involves materials which have been derived from animals, such as leather or wool, the question as to how sustainable the product is in terms of animal welfare is certainly also very relevant.

It’s therefore important to know under which conditions the animals live or have lived and whether the land on which the animals graze is treated in a sustainable manner where sustainable wool is concerned. You can really only refer to a woollen product as sustainable if strict requirements have been met. It’s also essential that an independent product certification clearly proves the alleged sustainability. This will allow the consumer to feel confident and certain that the product in question really is sustainable. The “Responsible Wool Certificate” (RWC) is that certificate.

The RWC standard requires every phase of the production process to be certified based on the “Content Claim Standard” (CCS), a certification method based on the “chain of custody” principle, whereby the raw material flow is followed in every phase of the production process, from the source to the end product. The certification starts with the farmer and ends with the brand which markets the collection. This makes RWC a real chain certification and provides consumers with an insight and transparency into the origin of products and the certainty that every step throughout the entire production process has been assessed by an independent party.

A RWC certificate can only be issued for products which contain 100% RWC certified wool and is therefore the only recognised international sustainable quality standard which monitors animal welfare in the woollen clothing production chain.

Profuomo is one of the first Dutch fashion brands to have acquired full RWC certification for its Merino wool knitwear collection.

The RWC certification offers the retailer an additional selling point. Consumers are becoming more and more critical and attach an increasing amount of importance and value to sustainable clothing. Profuomo’s Merino wool programme offers the retailer a unique selling point. The product can also be washed in the washing machine on a 30°C wool cycle.

Profuomo stands for Timeless Comfort and sustainability therefore features very high on its list of priorities. The brand aims to produce 100% of its cotton, wool and leather goods collection in a fully sustainable and certified manner by 2025.