Dress warm and support local wool farmers 

A warm wool sweater is great for getting through the cold winter months. But did you know that the temperature-regulating properties of wool can keep you just as fresh in the summer? So it seems like an ideal material to have in your closet.

Unfortunately, not every wool garment is equally good for the planet and animal welfare. Not only the environment and animals, but farmers also suffer from unsustainable farming practices. Small wool farmers and communities often struggle, so here we highlight some brands that support local wool farmers:

Inti Knitwear

Inti Knitwear’s hand-knit sweaters and scarves are made in Ecuador. At first glance, this may not seem local relative to Europe, but Inti works with pastoralist communities who spin and knit wool locally into beautiful sweaters. The sweaters are made from the soft wool of alpacas that live in the Ecuadorian high mountains. Alpaca wool is hypoallergenic because it contains less lanolin, the wool is very soft and also has good insulating properties.

You can discover Inti Knitwear’s collection at Tally-Ho and BrandMission in Amsterdam.

Alpaca Loca

As the name suggests, you will also find wonderfully soft sweaters made of alpaca wool at Alpaca Loca. The wool comes from the Andes Mountains in Peru and Ecuador. Through the collaboration Alpaca Loca has with small, local communities, the brand supports the region’s economic growth.

In addition, the brand helps alleviate poverty among alpaca herders. Alpaca Loca has established personal relationships with these communities, many relying on artisan production.

Discover Alpaca Loca’s soft products in BrandMission stores. You can also find the collection at mAke Hasselt, SOFlien, HOST, The Maker Store, Het Faire Oosten, Harvest Club and Tally-Ho.

Aiayu

Aiayu makes sustainable clothing, bedding and blankets from cashmere and yak wool. The cashmere comes from small nomadic goat herders. It is then processed by hand using traditional techniques. The yak wool comes from nomadic Mongolian shepherds. The shepherds receive a stable and fair income thanks to a Swiss cooperative that Aiayu works with.

Discover Aiayu’s sustainable collection at the Duka Moodstore in Bruges.

Egos Copenhagen

Looking for wonderfully warm shoes and slippers made of wool? You can find those at Egos, the Danish brand that makes shoes, slippers, and accessories from 100% sheeps wool. Their production occurs in Nepal, where the products are handmade using traditional methods. Egos wants to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nepal, which is why the brand has been certified by the World Fair Trade Organization since 2009.

You can discover the collection at Moose in the City in Antwerp and Philimonius in Aalst.

Scarves and stuff by Solange

Solange’s elegant knitwear is also ethically made. The knitting yarn comes from the German family-owned company Lang. Lang has a factory in Italy; employees receive fair wages and work in safe and sound conditions.

The origin of the wool is fully traceable. Solange’s scarves, hats and sweaters are made with wool sourced from farmers in Peru, Scandinavia and England.

You can admire Scarves and Stuff by Solange at HOST in Antwerp and the Harvest Club in Leuven. Would you instead rent one of the designs? Discover the collection at Dressr!