Ulrike Beier's presentation on the sustainable aspects of wool and on her company IndoChino at Green Drinks China Monthly Sustainability Forum in May 2013

1. WOOL and its WONDER
9 May 2013
Presentation at
Green Drinks China Monthly Sustainability Forum

2. 1) INTRODUCTION
2) WHY IS WOOL SO WONDERFUL?
3) GETTING AWAY FROM A CONSUMER ORIENTED
SOCIETY ANDTHE 1 DOLLAR SHOP
4) RENEWABLE BUT IS IT SUSTAINABLE?
5) INSISTING ON GOOD PRACTICE AS A BUYER ANYWHERE
ALONGTHE SUPPLY CHAIN
6) WHY IS WOOL SO WONDERFUL?

3. 2) WHY IS WOOL WONDERFUL?
• BREATHABLE
• MULTI-CLIMATIC
• DURABLE
• SAFE
• FIRE RETARDANT
• ANTI-ALLERGENIC
• NATURAL AND RENEWABLE
• BIODEGRADABLE
• EASY CARE

4. ….SO
• WOOL DOES SAVE ENERGY – INSULATIVE PROPERTIES
• WOOL COULD ALLOW USTO CONSUME LESS – MICROCLIMATE
CHARACTER ALLOWS PRODUCTION OF MULTISEASONAL FABRICS
• WOOL DOES SAVE ENERGY – WASH LESS – WOOL IS DIRT AND
ODOUR RESISTANT
• WOOL LCA (LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS) IS REDUCED –
BIODGRADABLE – DECOMPOSES MORE QUICKLY WHEN COMPAREDTO
OTHER FIBRES
• WOOL PRODUCES A GREAT BY-PRODUCT INTHE FORM OF
LANOLIN
ANDYET PEOPLE STILL DON’T BUY IT?!!!

5. 3) GETTING AWAY FROM CONSUMER ORIENTED
SOCIETY AND $1 SHOPS

6. …THE CONSUMER NEEDS A STORY
SUSTAINABILITY
Defn. 1) WORLD COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT
Sustainability is to meet the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.

7. …THE CONSUMER NEEDS A STORY
SUSTAINABILITY?
Defn. 2) THE UNION OF CESERVATION SCIENTISTS
(IUCN) UNITED NATIONS ENVIROMENT
PROGRAMME (UNEP)
Sustainability is improving the quality
of human life while living within the
carrying capacity of the Earth’s
supporting eco-systems

8. …THE CONSUMER NEEDS A STORY
SUSTAINABILITY
Defn.3) PAUL HAWKEN (ENVIROMENTALIST,
JOURNALIST, AUTHOR AND ENTREPRENEUR)
Sustainability is about stabilizing the
currently disruptive relationship
between earth’s two most complex
systems - human culture and the
living world.

9. 5) INSISTING ON GOOD PRACTICE AS A BUYER
ANYWHERE ALONGTHE SUPPLY CHAIN
• Buying from accredited mills and working with accredited
vendors
• Bluesign, Oekotex anD EMAS
• Ensure the wool being bought is from “good practise” farms
• Protect animals
• Protect the land
• Check the supply chain

10. …..BUT WHAT INSENTIVE ISTHERE FORTHE
SUPPLY CHAINTO REACT?
• DEMAND FROMTHE END CONSUMER MUST
BETHERE!
• ACHIEVEDTHROUGH EDUCATION

11. INITIATIVES
• CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL
• MARKETING

12. After years of rampant consumerism, active and informed
consumers are insisting on greater integrity and
authenticity in the products they buy.
I FEEL RESPONSIBLE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OFTHE
SUPPLY CHAINTO ENCOURAGETHIS.

13. THANK YOU
ricci@indochino.com