Descriptions of fluffy sheep and rolling meadows are being used to sell everything from jackets to fabric and furniture. The problem? A Consumer NZ investigation has found many of these products don’t contain any wool at all.
A brilliant investigation by Consumer NZ has exposed a troubling trend in New Zealand – companies using wool imagery and language to sell products that contain zero actual wool. From jackets labelled “wool” that are 100% polyester, to fabrics named “Fleece” inspired by “sheep roaming vast New Zealand plains” that are entirely plastic – consumers are being misled into thinking they’re buying natural, sustainable wool products.
Ask Kara Biggs what’s so great about wool and she can barely pause for breath. “Wool fibres last longer. It’s natural, it’s renewable, it’s biodegradable, it’s safe. It’s naturally flame resistant. It’s incredible for insulation, moisture regulation and odour regulation. It keeps you warm.” Finally, she inhaled. “There are so many incredible benefits.”
As the general manager of Campaign for Wool NZ, Biggs’ job is to educate people and advocate for the use of wool products. Under the Australia/New Zealand Standard 1994 rules for textiles, only products made using “hair of the sheep” can be described as “wool”. The definition is clear. Anyone caught doing anything else could be in breach of the Fair Trading Act.
Yet Biggs has witnessed a growing trend, with terms like “wool”, “merino”, “fleece” and “homespun” being used to describe what are essentially plastic and polyester products.
“… every company wants their products to be seen as environmentally friendly – even if they’re not,” she said. “[and wool] denotes … premium-ness. It’s false advertising. … What they’re actually doing is … confusing consumers, and confused consumers don’t make informed decisions,” said Biggs. “Consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re purchasing and not to be hoodwinked into paying more.”
We went looking for companies who seemed to be doing exactly that. It wasn’t hard to find them.
Read the full article HERE