A new report on “The use of merino wool in sportswear,” conducted by global animal welfare organization Four Paws, reveals the results of a study commissioned by an independent laboratory in the U.K. to examine wool samples from various companies. The samples from the ten largest global sports brands inspected for the study had a mean diameter below 22 microns, which “strongly suggests” that the merino products contain merino from Australia, the world’s largest producer of fine merino wool. To qualify as typical Australian “fine merino,” fibers must not fall above a maximum mean diameter of 22 microns. “When full supply chain traceability is not practiced and with only 14 percent of Australian wool free of mulesing, the risks and welfare issues are obvious,” states the press release by Four Paws. Mulesing to prevent parasite infestation is still used on young lambs, although painless alternatives are available.
According to Four Paws, Nike stands out in the report lagging behind its two biggest competitors, Puma and Adidas, in terms of animal welfare. Both have already made plans to switch to certified mulesing-free wool (2025 and 2030, respectively). In the press release, Four Paws calls on Nike to also take this important step towards more animal welfare. “Nike claims to support mulesing-free wool but so far has not taken any concrete action to exclude its use. We have tried to contact the company several times. Unfortunately, there has been no response to our questions about the country of origin of the wool and measures to exclude mulesing,” says Rebecca Picallo Gil, head of the wool campaign at Four Paws, which is already running for a couple of years.
