Sheep are intelligent, social animals. They can recognise faces for up to two years, and read emotions much like humans do. But the wool industry often disregards their needs in favour of profit.
Early life
Sheep naturally give birth to one lamb at a time, but selective breeding means many now carry twins or triplets. This puts a huge strain on mothers and results in smaller, weaker lambs. To cut costs, many farmers force sheep to give birth in winter, even though spring is their natural season. The result? Each year in Australia, 10–15 million lambs die in their first two days of life—mainly from cold, hunger or neglect.
On top of this, lambs are subjected to painful procedures, almost always without pain relief. Their tails are cut off using knives, hot irons or tight bands. Even more controversial is ‘mulesing’, where strips of skin are cut from a lamb’s backside to reduce flystrike disease. Over 10 million lambs suffer through live lamb cutting every year in Australia—the only country that still allows it—despite promises to end it decades ago. Sanctuaries show that simple, humane alternatives exist, such as careful shearing.
Shearing stress
Selective breeding has left sheep with unnaturally heavy wool coats. This means they can overheat in summer, yet risk hypothermia when shorn in winter. Investigations in Australia have documented violent handling during shearing, as shearers are often paid per sheep rather than per hour—rewarding speed over care and unsafe working conditions.
From wool to meat
All sheep who are bred for wool are also sold as meat. Lambs may be slaughtered at just 6–9 months old, while older sheep are shorn until about age five, then sent to slaughter or live export (to be phased out by 2028). Sheep can live up to 14 years, but in the industry their worth ends when the quality of their wool does. Even at slaughter, stunning methods frequently fail, leaving sheep conscious as their throats are cut.
Alpaca wool
Sheep aren’t the only animals affected. The alpaca wool industry suffers similar issues, along with Indigenous exploitation. Alpacas, sensitive animals with strong memories, are bred in freezing highlands without shelter, leading to preventable death from exposure. Investigations in Peru have exposed alpacas shrieking in terror and vomiting in pain during shearing. Even the ‘Responsible Alpaca Standard’ allows mutilation.
Despite its ‘natural’ image, wool is far from sustainable.
Land and wildlife impacts
In Australia, more than half of all land clearing is for animal grazing. Sheep farming is a major driver, second only to cattle. To produce just one bale of wool, about 44 hectares of land must be cleared—compared to just 0.12 hectares for a bale of cotton.
Once established, sheep farming continues to damage ecosystems. Sheep are not native to Australia, and their hard hooves tear up fragile soil, leading to erosion and desertification. This destroys native vegetation and habitats, with devastating consequences for local wildlife.
The wool industry also has a long history of harming native species. The Tasmanian Tiger was hunted to extinction after being wrongly blamed for sheep losses. Today, dingoes are poisoned, trapped and shot to protect grazing sheep.
Water pollution
Sheep farming also pollutes waterways. Their faeces contain phosphorus—the leading cause of eutrophication, which depletes oxygen and creates aquatic ‘dead zones’. On top of this, turning raw wool into fabric requires a chemical-heavy wash called ‘scouring’, which produces large volumes of wastewater that can’t be fully treated.
Climate cost
Wool has one of the highest climate footprints of any textile. Compared to cotton, a wool knit made from Australian fibre produces 27 times more greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, wool’s climate impact is three times higher than acrylic and five times higher than conventionally grown cotton.
Greener alternatives
A kinder, more sustainable wardrobe is possible. Materials such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo and post-consumer recycled synthetics all have a far lower environmental toll when responsibly sourced.
‘The collective injustices behind wool don’t belong in the future of knitwear or suiting.’
