Where to find responsibly sourced and super cute! wool sweaters.
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Nothing is better than a great wool sweater in the colder months. Merino wool is a natural fiber that is environmentally friendly, antimicrobial, biodegradable and an excellent thermoregulator. However, not all wool products are created equal. The larger sheep farm/factories use a painful technique called mulesing and, as with other forms of animal agriculture, raising sheep for wool can take up precious resources. Land is cleared and trees are cut down to make room for grazing, leading to increased soil salinity and erosion and a decrease in biodiversity. Which is why it’s important that companies work with farms that use regenerative practices where sheep grazing can be beneficial instead of harmful. Even Victoria Beckham recently collaborated on a collection with Woolmark of totally traceable wool sweaters.
Keeping up on it might feel like a full-time job. But we’ve done the research for you and below are three companies that have great ethical wool sweaters –plus our favorite place for the DIY sweater.
All of these brands guarantee that:
- The sheep are mulesing-free
- 100% Traceable –they know the farms and factories they work with and many are B corps
- They are thinking of the “end-of-life” of the garment before you even buy it.
SHEEP INC
A very new company, Sheep Inc didn’t have to change their ways to become more environmentally friendly. They were built that way from the beginning.
We love that they are:
- Zero-waste
- Work with independent farmers
- Manufacturing is completely powered by solar energy.
- Offer a lifetime guarantee
- Each item comes with a tag that lets you track the sheep your sweater comes from.
Okay, that last point might sound like a marketing gimmick. But it does get our attention.
Sheep Inc only makes sweaters, scarves and beanies so there are many options and we love how many colors. Like a lot of colors!
They WEIRDLY have Men and Women menus on their site when it’s the SAME products in the same color and size options for both. Note to Sheep INC: Really, we think you could degender this and not scare off too many people!
Best if you like super bright and poppy colors classic styles. (though black is an option for all styles if that’s your thing!)
Priced between $184- 210 but add their lifetime guarantee and that doesn’t strike us as too much.
Sizes XS – XXL
ASKET
A Swedish brand, Asket takes that minimalism often associated with Nordic design and applies it to fashion. With a tagline of Zero Compromise Garments – Essentials Made to Last, it makes sense that wool sweaters would be one of their options. But carefully curated to a few classic options like the black turtleneck (yes, it only comes in black), a mock turtleneck –with color options of crème or charcoal, and the long-sleeved knit polo that comes in 5 shades of neutral
Best if you like neutrals
Priced between $110 and $140
Sizes XXS-XXL Women, XS-XXL Men
Also cool: They have a revival program where when you’re finished with your garment for whatever reason you can return them and receive a credit towards something new. (though TBH this is probably better if you live in or close to Sweden because of shipping costs. But we still think it’s pretty great.)
REFORMATION
Unlike the other two brands that produce classic styles, Reformation makes sweaters like the rest of their clothes: cute, on trend and responsibly. For this wool sweater collection they’ve teamed up with Nativa, a label that guarantees that garments are authentic and made with natural fibers respecting the environment and animal welfare.
Best if you want a style that’s less basic –like with flower detailing or a shrunken fit. They have many different styles to choose from.
Priced between $98 and $228
Sizes XS-XL
WOOL AND THE GANG
As promised, here’s a little something for the DIYers in the room. Wool and the Gang’s mission is to inspire the next generation of makers through reinvention of the craft experience. In other words, they want you to lose visions of grannies in rocking chairs when you think of knitters and think instead of all the amazing and fashionable pieces you can make yourself. Plus maybe you can wean yourself off that anti-anxiety med or nightly Chardonnay when you chill out with your knitting. (no judgements, just ideas!)
They even offer free patterns. But what we really like are their kits. You can search by level (beginners, here!) or category and pick out what you want to make and it comes with everything you need from the yarn to the pattern to the needles. What could be easier? They also work with fashion factories to repurpose their waste into yarn and reduce landfill.
Sizes YOUR SIZE!