The Woolmark Company has published new research showing that Merino wool does not contribute to ocean pollution. As explained in the study, entitled “Microfibre Pollution and the Marine Biodegradation of Wool,” untreated and machine-washable fibers biodegrade in marine environments, whereas synthetic fibers do not. For the purposes of the study, scientists compared the biodegradability of the two types of Merino wool in seawater to that of viscose rayon, polyester, nylon and polypropylene. All fabrics were repeatedly washed before testing in order to reproduce a partial garment lifetime. The rate of biodegradation was then compared to that of Kraft Paper pulp, a substance known to be easily biodegradable. The study also found that machine-washable wool biodegrades at a faster rate than untreated wool fabrics. Also, there was no evidence that the treated wool’s polyamide resin coating added to microplastic pollution.

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