AUSTRALIAN wool growers are being asked to get behind an important petition defending their product’s environmental and sustainability credentials.

Australian Wool Innovation is urging woolgrowers to maintain the momentum defending the fibre by signing a new petition to the European Union.

The ‘Protect nature from fast fashion’ survey urges the European Commission to ensure fair treatment of natural fibres – including wool – in upcoming textile sustainability policies.

AWI chief executive John Roberts said it remains important that wool growers and wool organisations make their voice heard.

“Thanks in part to the ongoing strong voice from Australian wool growers, 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 policy makers, so they recognise the environmental benefits of natural fibres and fulfil their promise to put fast fashion out of fashion,” he said.

“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,” Mr Roberts said.

“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, an international coalition of organisations representing a wide range of natural fibre producers, manufacturers, brands, standards organisations and environmental groups.

The petition urges EU policy makers 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

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

AWI said in parallel with the launch of the petition, a roundtable event was held inside the European Parliament in Brussels on 7 April, hosted by Make The Label Count and moderated by MTLC spokesperson and International Wool Textile Organisation 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, AWI said.