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Why Wool is the Ultimate Pilates Partner 🧘‍♀️✨Reformer Pilates was born from ingenuity, Joseph Pilates originally used b...
03/06/2026

Why Wool is the Ultimate Pilates Partner 🧘‍♀️✨
Reformer Pilates was born from ingenuity, Joseph Pilates originally used bedsprings to rehabilitate injured soldiers. Today, it’s a global movement focused on strength, precision, and long-term wellness. But if you’re practicing "slow fitness" for your health, have you looked at the label on your leggings? Most activewear is essentially plastic . It’s time to pair the body’s intelligence with nature’s original performance fibre: Wool. 🐑

Here is why your next session belongs in wool:

1. Dynamic Support of Body Temperature
Pilates involves cycles of intense movement and mindful rest. Wool uses a natural process called heat of sorption to generate a tiny bit of warmth as it absorbs moisture.

The Result: You stay warm during rest phases without feeling clammy. Wool manages your temperature so you can spend your energy on your core, not on shivering or overheating.

2. Air It Out, and It’s Ready to Go Again; Less Laundry, More Flow 🧺
Synthetics trap bacteria and odours after just one session. Wool is naturally odour-resistant.

The Hack: Just hang your wool gear in a steamy bathroom or fresh air. Wrinkles drop out, odours vanish, and it’s ready for your next class. Fewer washes mean a longer life for your gear and more time for you.

3. Consider the Microplastics🌍
Did you know a single wash of polyester can release 6 million microplastics? Wool is made of the same protein as human hair. If a fibre sheds, it biodegrades, returning to the earth as nutrients—not pollution.

The Verdict: If you’re investing in your long-term well-being, what you wear on your body matters as much as what you do with it.

Ready to swap ? Experience the dynamic breathability of wool in your next class.

The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) is proud to invite the global wool community to the 95th IWTO Congres...
01/06/2026

The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) is proud to invite the global wool community to the 95th IWTO Congress, hosted in the world’s wool knitwear capital: Dalang, China, from 24–26 June 2026.

Under the theme "Knitting for Tomorrow: Wool and Well-Being in the Digital Age," we will explore how wool is evolving to meet the demands of a modern, tech-integrated lifestyle.

📍 Why Join Us in Dalang?
As a global hub for textile excellence, Dalang offers an unparalleled look at the future of manufacturing:

✅ The Scale: Home to over 28,000 wool textile businesses.
✅ The Speed: Witness the "design-to-shipment" cycle powered by 150,000 computerized knitting machines.
✅ The Experience: From the Royal Garden Hotel to China’s No. 1 Knitting Village, delegates will see firsthand the innovation driving our industry.

🗓️ At a Glance
23 June: Members-only Working Group meetings (The engine room of wool standards).
24–26 June: Main Congress sessions (Available both in-person and online).
26–27 June: Exclusive Industry Visits, Gala Dinner, and Scenic Tours.

🌐 A Global Invitation
IWTO is dedicated to connecting the world’s wool professionals. Whether you join us on-site in the heart of China’s knitting cluster or participate via our comprehensive digital platform.

Join us as we knit together the future of our industry.

Registration is still open. Secure your place at the most important event in the wool calendar. 🐑
➡️ https://chk.me/sMvWzVV

Meet our speaker — Jyrki Sura.General Director of Sura & Co srl, with nearly 30 years of experience in natural fibre sup...
29/05/2026

Meet our speaker — Jyrki Sura.

General Director of Sura & Co srl, with nearly 30 years of experience in natural fibre supply chains. Jyrki is a Programme Director with a track record across international trade, NGOs and digital development. His consultancy spans three deeply connected pillars: certified supply chains, standard development for production-animal industries, and the digitalisation of auction systems, with strategic projects across sustainability, certification, traceability and online auctions.

At the 95th IWTO Congress in Dalang, China, he'll explore the idea of a global traceability platform for sustainable wool.

Date · 24-26 June 2026
Venue · Dalang, China — 95th IWTO Congress

iwto.org/congress-2026

Quiz time! What's the best way to refresh a wool garment instead of washing it with water?A. Tumble drying on a "fluff" ...
27/05/2026

Quiz time! What's the best way to refresh a wool garment instead of washing it with water?
A. Tumble drying on a "fluff" setting
B. Using a fabric refreshing spray
C. Airing it out for a few hours
D. Dry cleaning after every wear

TIP: wool is unique among textile fibres in how it handles moisture and odour. Wool can be refreshed simply by hanging it in fresh air, saving water, detergent, energy and dry-cleaning costs. The wool fibre's resilience also helps it regain its shape between wears, so the right care is often the lightest care.

Cast your vote in the comments. Answer coming soon!
Source: iwto.org/wash-less-with-wool

Did you know...  50% of the weight of clean wool is pure biogenic carbon?That means it is made of carbon that is constan...
26/05/2026

Did you know... 50% of the weight of clean wool is pure biogenic carbon?

That means it is made of carbon that is constantly cycling through the atmosphere, pasture and plants, sheep and soil.

Why does this matter?

Because understanding the biogenic carbon cycle and accounting for it in carbon costing allows for a much more precise understanding of wool’s environmental impact. Because we need to be grounded in actual farming systems, not averages and assumptions that don't reflect regional realities.

To better understand biogenic carbon flows, researchers built detailed farm-level models based on real production calendars and peer-reviewed livestock data. These models were refined to match published production figures while adding greater accuracy on biological processes across the grazing cycle.

It’s another step toward better data, better understanding, and better decisions for the future of natural fibres. 🌱

Meet our speaker — Mengting Shen.Senior Designer & Project Manager at Creative Matters Inc, the Toronto-based design stu...
25/05/2026

Meet our speaker — Mengting Shen.

Senior Designer & Project Manager at Creative Matters Inc, the Toronto-based design studio behind custom fair-trade floor and wall coverings for some of the world's most demanding clients. Established in 1988, Creative Matters delivers in 40+ countries, La Samaritaine, Gucci, Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, luxury hotels, embassies, diplomatic residences. The studio is a long-standing supporter of Label STEP, championing environmentally responsible production and the welfare of carpet weavers.

At the 95th IWTO Congress in Dalang, China, Mengting will talk about the use of wool for high-end luxury rug production.

Date · 24-26 June 2026 ·
Venue · Dalang, China — 95th IWTO Congress

iwto.org/congress-2026

Meet our speaker — Fei Jing.Deputy Section Chief and Senior Engineer at the Technical Center for Industrial Products and...
22/05/2026

Meet our speaker — Fei Jing.

Deputy Section Chief and Senior Engineer at the Technical Center for Industrial Products and Raw Materials Inspection and Testing of Shanghai Customs District. A Master of Science from Fudan University's School of Life Sciences, Fei Jing leads work on consumer goods testing, with a focus on specialty animal fibre identification — applying molecular biology, DNA testing and peptide analysis to qualitative and quantitative detection of cashmere and wool blends.

She has led the development of 4 national standards, published over 20 research papers, holds 9 invention patents, and has been recognised with the Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award and the China National Textile and Apparel Council Award.

At the 95th IWTO Congress in Dalang, China, she will introduce IWTO DTM-68 — Quantitative Analysis of Cashmere and Wool Mixture based on DNA Technology

Date · June 2026
Venue · Dalang, China — 95th IWTO Congress

iwto.org/congress-2026

Australia: the world's largest wool producer, governed state by stateWith roughly 18% of global wool production, Austral...
20/05/2026

Australia: the world's largest wool producer, governed state by state

With roughly 18% of global wool production, Australia is the largest wool-producing country in the world. Around 60,000 farmers tend approximately 63 million sheep, and the Merino breed dominates the clip, supplying about 80% of the world's fine apparel wool.

What makes Australia distinctive isn't just scale, but structure. Since Australia is a federation, animal welfare is the responsibility of state and territory governments rather than the federal government. Each of the six states and two territories maintains its own regulatory framework, with prosecution for any breach.

To keep these jurisdictions aligned, the federal government supports the development of the *Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep* (2016), a science-based, nationally consistent reference that informs how each state writes its own rules. The standards are built on current research, recommended industry practice, and community expectations, with the explicit goal of delivering positive lifetime welfare outcomes.

The result: a single, nationally coherent welfare ambition delivered through eight different legal frameworks, a federation that takes the welfare of its 63 million sheep seriously, jurisdiction by jurisdiction.

Download the guide : https://iwto.org/resources/wool-sheep-welfare-specifications/

IWTO goes to Strasbourg!IWTO, with the support of Make The Label Count, is excited to be invited to participate in the n...
19/05/2026

IWTO goes to Strasbourg!

IWTO, with the support of Make The Label Count, is excited to be invited to participate in the next meeting of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup at the European Parliament.

As the EU develops the new Circular Economy Act, it is vital that the environmental performance of renewable, bio-based resources like wool and leather is accurately measured and recognized.

The Challenge: Current EU environmental footprint methodologies often rely on default durability values that may not reflect the true longevity of natural materials. This risks creating a policy environment that disadvantages biodegradable fibres in favour of synthetic, fossil-fuel-based alternatives.

Event Highlights:
* The Biogenic Life Cycle: Insights from Dr. Paul Swan on wool carbon quantification.
* Real-world Impact: A sheep farmer's perspective from Roland Taferner.
* Biobased Carbon Quantification : Gustavo Defeo (founder of Ars Tinctoria)
* Policy Dialogue: Discussions with MEPs Benoît Cassart, Alexander Bernhuber (TBC), and Maria Grapini (TBC), alongside DG Agri’s Michael Losch.

📅 When: 21 May | 10:00–11:30 CET
📍 Where: Room WEISS S3.5 & Online

Meet our speaker — Ignacio Abella.Agronomist (University of the Republic, Uruguay), Master of Science in Wool Science fr...
18/05/2026

Meet our speaker — Ignacio Abella.

Agronomist (University of the Republic, Uruguay), Master of Science in Wool Science from the University of New England (Australia), and a member of the Research & Development Area of SUL, the Secretariado Uruguayo de la Lana, since 2001. Ignacio's work spans staple strength and colour, low-pesticide wool, on-farm objective measurement, and sheep welfare.

At the 95th IWTO Congress in Dalang, China, Ignacio will show how Uruguayan wool is produced and why it stands out as a benchmark for sustainable, welfare-led fibre.

Session · Sustainability
Talk · “Sustainable wool production of Uruguay”
Date · 24-26 June 2026 ·
Venue · Dalang, China — 95th IWTO Congress

iwto.org/congress-2026

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