1450 tonnes of Swedish wool are disposed of annually
Occasionally, the discussion blossoms about tons of Swedish wool being thrown or burned. Nowadays the subject was on the wallpaper again. With right. It should be highlighted, pushed, bled and trumpeted until this unimaginable waste of resources is replaced by a sustainable solution.
The fact that Swedish wool is so little worthy is tragic and pain in the heart of a woolen nerd. Growing up with sheep has admittedly contributed to me being completely woolen, but I cannot understand that this magnificent material does not have a greater status in Sweden today.
If we look at our neighbor Norway, sheep and wool production is considered an important part of the culture. Thus, wool has been given a completely different priority, both politically and economically. The farmer cooperative Nortuna manages the collection, classification and sale of wool and today Norwegian wool production is a pride to learn from. About 60% of Norwegian wool goes on exports (mainly to the UK) and the rest goes to the domestic textile industry. Today, Norwegian wool products are a strong cultural carrier that successfully markets Norway.
Sweden, too, has a rich tradition of wool breeding and could very well profile its craft culture with the same success. Just think of Bohusstitching, lace sweaters, all different fishing jerseys and the patterned weaves of the clothing. In Sweden, however, a whole chain of processing opportunities has been lost, which makes it very difficult to utilize the wool properly today. There is no uniform classification system, opportunities for collection and sorting as well as large-scale spinning, weaving and knitting.
The fact that almost 1500 tonnes of wool is thrown or burned annually shows how little wool is valued in Sweden. It has to take economic and political priorities to turn this waste into what wool actually is. Wool must regain the status it deserves and with a profiling of exclusivity and sustainability, it can very well become a proud cultural carrier and strong export product even in Sweden.
When I started with Tordyvel, I primarily wanted to use Swedish wool. Unfortunately, I went early bite as there is not so thin spun Swedish finull and also not in the amount I was looking for. For hand-knitting, on the other hand, there is plenty available, which is fortunate. What came closest to my priorities, regarding quality and animal husbandry ethics, became the organic wool I use today. The GOTS certification makes it traceable and guarantees a non-toxic and ethical production for animals, nature and people. But, I keep track of the development of Swedish wool and one day I hope to offer Swedish wool in Tordyvel's range. With pride.
