Now that jumpers are mass-produced at a serious scale, and their supply chain and materials are a real cause for concern.
The manufacture of wool is a nightmare for the environment.
Wool is one of the five fabrics with the highest environmental impact, according to the most current “Pulse of the Fashion Industry” survey.
Similar to cattle ranching, sheep farming produces significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
Costly resources are also used up by the wool industry and environmentalists are highlighting sheep farming’s detrimental effects on the environment more and more.
To make space for sheep to graze, land has been cleared and trees cut down, which causes increased soil salinity, erosion, and reduced biodiversity.
Some jumpers aren’t made from natural fibres anymore and are now made from environmentally damaging polyester or acrylic and are often dyed using polluting chemicals.
In fact, a study by Plymouth University found that acrylic was responsible for releasing nearly 730,000 microfibres per wash, these plastic microfibres end up polluting our oceans, killing wildlife.