Earlier this month key players from the wool industry gathered at Dumfries House in Scotland for the first ever Wool Conference, hosted by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Freedoms

Prince Charles hosted the event which included debate, discussions and Olympians, with double gold medal gymnast Max Whitlock performing a routine in a wool suit.

The Prince of Wales, who is the Patron of The Campaign for Wool, presided over the signing of the Dumfries House Wool Declaration. In signing the declaration, The Campaign’s Commonwealth funders, which includes the British Wool Marketing Board, committed to promoting the natural benefits and properties of wool.

At the centre of the declaration is the Commonwealth’s commitment to upholding and enforcing the ‘Five Freedoms of the Sheep’, which are:

1. Good Lifestyle – Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour, sufficient space, suitable facilities and the company of its fellow sheep.
2. Good Nutrition – Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition.
3. Good Environment – Freedom from discomfort through shelter and provisions of a comfortable environment
4. Good Handling – Freedom from fear, through good care and handling.
5. Good Health – Freedom from pain, injury and disease.

Standards

The standards are recognised as being the strictest of animal welfare and are embodied in the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) specifications for sheep welfare.

The Campaign for Wool promotes better understanding of the care and commitment of the global sheep farming and wool textile community in respecting the life of sheep.

Standard Wool’s Group Trading Director, Paul Hughes, supported the freedoms:

“Standard Wool are pleased that the campaign, with the support of retail and the early wool supply chain are raising awareness for Wool Sheep Welfare and insuring the four major wool growing countries are setting the standard to which other growing countries can follow, Standard Wool as a member of the IWTO supports the 5 freedoms as well as scientific based studies to safeguard against harm to animals.”

Conference

The event in Dumfries was the largest ever gathering of wool experts to be held in the UK and celebrated The Campaign for Wool’s eighth anniversary.

Attended by 250 wool trade delegates, including the likes of M & S CEO Steve Rowe and designer Sir Paul Smith, the conference featured speeches from key players and debated many important topics currently prominent within the industry.

To learn more about the conference, please visit: http://www.iwto.org/news/90/

For more information about the IWTO Animal Welfare Guidelines, please visit: http://www.standardwool.co.uk/downloads/iwto-wool-sheep-welfare-guidelines.pdf  

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