The forgotten fabric
Most people know about wool and where it comes from, especially If you live in New Zealand. When you hear the word ‘wool’ what comes to mind? Maybe it's yarn, and the image of your grandma making lovely woolen socks. Maybe it's merino, snuggly thermals or sleek Icebreaker hiking gear. Maybe it's the humble sheep and how much you just wanna snuggle up to it!
When I hear the word ‘wool’ the number 1 thing I think of is - where is it?
When I go shopping at the mall where are the knitted woolen jumpers and thick woolen coats? Where are the snuggly woolen blankets? Where did they go? Why did they go?
Well the answer is pretty simple, synthetic fabrics entered the clothing industry they were cheaper, smoother and they didn't need an iron to look good. We forgot all about wool and it was banished to the bottom of Grandma's knitting basket.
We want it back!
We say, out with the fossil fuel fabrics and the fast fashion which is driven by the world's insatiable need for more, more, more. We don't need ‘more’ we need ‘better’.
Wool is very versatile it can be made into yarn, woven fabric, knit fabric and even footwear! Wool lasts a long time, and when it does die, it biodegrades really quickly.
Wool keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. When you get sweaty it doesn't smell, it breathes. Wool is even resistant to flames. Wool is a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibre and we want wool!
A woolen revolution
We are the children of the woolen revolution! We want more sustainable, and ethical clothing options. We want to feel proud of what we wear. More and more brands are choosing to use more environmentally friendly fabrics so lets get behind them.
Check the labels on clothing that you buy. Make conscious decisions about what you wear and think about where it's going to go when you no longer need it. Support businesses that support our environment and we can all do better together.
At Velma & Beverley we are all about the natural fabrics and the wonders of wool. Our coat outer fabrics are made of 100% New Zealand wool, grown in NZ, spun in NZ by Woolyarns in Lower Hutt and woven at Inter-weave in Auckland and our linings are 100% cotton.
We love wool, and we hope you will too!
