Woolgrowers urged to sign new petition to support their fibre in Europe

The petition urges the European Commission to ensure fair treatment of natural fibres – including wool – in upcoming textile sustainability policies.

AWI Chief Executive John Roberts says it is important for Australian woolgrowers to continue to be heard.

"Thanks in part to the ongoing strong voice from Australian woolgrowers, the proposed environmental labelling on apparel products for sale in the EU that threatened to disadvantage Australian wool has been deferred for now. However, it remains vital to maintain the pressure on EU policymakers, so they recognise the environmental benefits of natural fibres and fulfil their promise to put fast fashion out of fashion."

"Addressing the biases and limitations in the EU’s sustainability rules is essential to ensure a fair and accurate assessment of wool's sustainability credentials. It is especially important for the Australian wool industry because the EU currently consumes about a quarter of all Australian wool."

"Furthermore, due to the EU being a driving force in environmental policy, other markets across the world could potentially follow its lead and adopt similar initiatives to the EU in their own jurisdictions."

The new petition has been launched by Make the Label Count (MTLC), an international coalition of organisations representing a wide range of natural fibre producers, manufacturers, brands, standards organisations and environmental groups.

The petition urges EU policymakers to:

• recognise natural fibres’ benefits in new sustainability policies

• ensure robust, science-based environmental criteria to prevent greenwashing

• promote a responsible fashion model that limits fast fashion and encourages biodegradable, renewable and recyclable fibres.

The petition is available to sign online at makethelabelcount.org/petition

The petition is open to everyone who believes in protecting natural fibres and pushing for fair environmental footprint measurement.

In parallel with the launch of the petition, a roundtable event was held inside the European Parliament in Brussels on 7 April, hosted by MTLC and moderated by MTLC spokesperson and International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) Secretary General Dalena White.

The session, titled ‘From Farm to Fashion: how natural fibres protect and support our environment’, brought together leading EU policymakers and highlighted the environmental impacts of different fibres, how fair labelling practices can provide clarity, and what policymakers must consider to ensure a sustainable textiles sector.