Why don't vegans wear wool? If you're asking yourself this question, you've come to the right place! First of all: Wool is of course not vegan, because it is an animal product. But there are many more good motivators to give up sheep's wool.
What drives vegans to exclude sheep's wool and, for that matter, sheep's meat and milk from their lives? I would like to explain that to you now in this contribution. Let's go!
10 reasons why vegans do not wear wool
I myself have eaten and worn animal products for more than 30 years of my life. But now that's over. A simple documentary about animal husbandry woke me up. It was also about sheep. It shows how they are kept, how they are sheared and basically how they are exploited. Here are the most important reasons to avoid wool and other sheep products.
1. because sheep are extremely intelligent, sentient creatures
Sheep and small lambs are - rather contrary to their reputation - extremely clever. For example, they can divide their feed into categories and accordingly Preferences or Dislikes In addition, they can recognize up to 50 different members of their own species as well as people by their faces.₂ Sheep feel emotions, such as sadness or joy - just like we humans do. For vegans, this is reason enough not to wear wool and also to do without other "products" from sheep.
Tip: I have dealt with this in detail in a separate post, whether animals have emotions. Look gladly times purely.
2. because sheep normally do not need to be shorn
Natural Wool is actually much darker and not so voluminousas known from today's sheep. Nowadays, however, the brown wool was bred away and the white undercoat overbred. The result is that the animals have to carry up to 4.5 kilograms of wool on their bodies.₃ This overbreeding also gave rise to the misconception that sheep must always be shorn as a matter of principle. But sheep shearing is only necessary because we have overbred the animals. Those who live vegan, therefore, also do without wool for this reason.
3. because you export and import sheep for wool worldwide.
For the economy, sheep are a commodity - and not sentient creatures. That's why they are sent halfway around the world by giant freighters before being slaughtered when they no longer give wool. Mostly from the main exporter Australia to countries in the Middle East. About three million sheep every year.₄ The transport to the terminated death is extremely agonizing for the animals. One more reason to give up their wool.
4. because sheep farming is extremely resource-intensive
Many vegans also avoid wool and other products from sheep for ecological reasons. Even though some sheep meet their death as little lambs for the brief pleasure of a lamb chop, all lambs and sheep must graze, eat and drink for the short or relatively long duration of their lives. For this Pasture and stable area, as well as Water provided and countless quantities Chuck be grown. The high consumption natural resources is therefore another motivator for vegans to avoid wool and co.
Tip: If you are interested, please have a look at my contribution to the Conserving resources in everyday life inside.
5. because sheep are neglected in factory farming.
The Factory farming is a brutal business that is only possible because we humans consume animal products. Sheep also have to suffer for their wool, milk and meat. Both psychologically and physically. They are crammed into narrow, dark stables and kicked - until they are finally killed cruelly. Because for the industry, they are nothing more than commodities. Vegans forgo the body parts of sheep to end this horror.
6. because sheep are mistreated and mutilated for wool
When Workers in wool production paid by quantity become, it is not surprising that animal welfare does not play a particularly important role for them. Therefore, the innocent sheep have to suffer extremely in their short lives. Not only during shearing, which often results in cuts or the removal of important body parts.
A particularly cruel practice is known as mulesing, which is Removing the skin around the tail without anesthesia. It is done because the overbreeding in this area moisture, which attracts flies and larvae that can eventually eat the animal from the inside. If less wool was produced, it would not be necessary. One of the most important reasons for vegans to give up wool textiles.
7. because sheep are no different from cats or dogs
Have you ever heard of the Speciesism heard? It is social injustice that we humans feel superior to animals and that we can therefore treat them as we please. However, we distinguish between animals. Dogs and cats are considered pets in Germany. Sheep, chickens, cows and pigs, however, are considered livestock. The only difference between them is their appearance. They are all sentient, emotional creatures. Vegans also renounce wool and other products from sheep to end this deplorable state of affairs.
8. because wool sheep are also eventually killed
In factory farming a woolen shaft about 7 years oldbefore it is slaughtered. Fattening lambs live only three to four months. All sheep that we exploit for our personal gain must die well before their natural life expectancy of 10 - 12 years. This is another reason why vegans avoid wool.₅
9. because they mentally put themselves in the role of the sheep
You may find it hard to completely give up sheep products like wool. However, as soon as you put yourself in the position of the animal that has to suffer and ultimately die for you, the change should be much easier for you. "To wear wool or Eating meat is my personal choice." - this sentence is easy to say. But as long as one's own behavior demands a sacrifice, no decision is personal.
10. because there are alternatives for wool
Sheep wool for clothing, for example, can be made by Cotton, Cotton flannel, Viscose fibers from bamboo or through Lyocell replace. But reasonable alternatives are not only through wool-like fabrics. We also have quite basically so much clothing material to choose from that we can leave the sheep alone.
We also have alternatives for feta cheese (eg. vegan shepherd cheese) and sheep's milk. So why are we still exploiting animals for our benefit? Habit, taste, tradition, convenience? For vegans, these are all insufficient reasons for the agony and eventual death of sheep. That's why they don't wear wool - and that's why they basically do without products from sheep.
Notice: In this post, I've spared you gruesome pictures. But if you need even more motivation, then be sure to check out the Dominion film an. It has already shaken me up personally - and millions of others around the world.
What is vegan wool?
Vegan wool is wool yarn made from purely vegetable or synthetic fibers that are not of animal origin.
Is sheep's wool vegan?
Wool from sheep, alpacas and other animals is not vegan because it is made and obtained from animal fibers and under animal cruelty.
Is shearing bad for sheep?
Shearing can be very stressful for the sheep, as they are naturally flight animals but have no other choice in the shearing process.
Is shearing sheep animal cruelty?
Shearing itself may not yet be considered animal cruelty, but mulesing, the usually anesthetic-free removal of the skin folds of the anal and genital regions to protect against vermin infestation, definitely is. The animals have high stress levels for days after the procedure and exhibit skittish behavior.
What is meant by mulesing?
Mulesing is the treatment of sheep to protect them from infestation by vermin. Flies, for example, lay their eggs in the dirty and poorly ventilated skin folds of the anus and genital region of the sheep. To protect the wool, the animals are therefore mutilated alive by their owners.
Why vegans don't wear wool? Because they do not have to
As a vegan, one has above all ethical and ecological motivation to do without wool. There was a time in human history when it was essential to survive, wool and other animal material to use. But today this is no longer the case - we buy our clothes in warm department stores from the plastic hanger - and our meat lies in cold refrigerators wrapped in plastic packages in the supermarket ready. So the fact that vegans do without wool is basically just a long overdue evolutionary step.
By the way, my attitude to give up wool has been additionally strengthened by my personal time with sheep on the grace farm.
Do you have questions or suggestions about veganism and wool? Then just write me a short comment.
Be always kind to animals,
PS.: If you are not yet convinced to give up wool, I have something for you. An overview with vegan documentarieswhich will give you additional motivation with the help of visual material. You are also welcome to look at, Why vegans give up milk.
References:
₁ D. Röhrlich Deutschlandfunk: The sharpest mind on the farm, available at https://t1p.de/8a4o. [13.10.2020].
₂ H. Briggs, BBC: Amazing powers of sheep, available at https://t1p.de/utwk. [13.10.2020].
₃ International Wool Textile Organisation: Sheeps, available at https://iwto.org/sheep. [13.10.2020].
₄ PETA Deutschland e.V.: 7 reasons why wool doesn't work at all, available at https://t1p.de/jamh. [13.10.2020].
₅ FOUR PAWS - Foundation for Animal Welfare: LIFE EXPECTATIONS OF SHEEP (as of 19.10.2017), available at https://t1p.de/idcp. [13.10.2020].
