Is felt vegan? Is felt sustainable? And is felt ethical? Here are felt pros and cons: all the info on felt fabric, materials and textiles that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Clothes are so cheap and trendy these days we buy them even when we don’t ‘need’ them. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure materials accommodate your needs but don’t hurt the planet, animals or others. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on whether felt is vegan and sustainable.
You are going to learn all about felt’s impact on animals and the planet. This will include felt benefits for you regarding the durability, versatility and accessibility of the material. You’ll find out if felt is sustainable and if felt is vegan…or maybe even impacts animals in other ways!
After learning if felt is good or bad for your lifestyle, the environment, animals and human rights, you’ll be able to make the best choices you can the next time you shop.
This post is all about asking is felt vegan and is felt sustainable…something every ethical shopper must know.
Is Felt Vegan And Sustainable?
HOME
Felt uses include making many things including clothes, crafts, hats etc.
Felt is typically cheap, easy to find
Additionally, felt is…
- Versatile
- Cheap
ENVIRONMENT
Fiber source: natural, felt is a natural fiber, derived from matted wool fibers by the application of heat, moisture and pressure
Biodegradable: yes, felt (wool) is biodegradable if it is untreated with chemicals, it is 100% biodegradable in a span of 1-5 years based on the techniques adopted to convert it into fiber
Destruction: high, felt production is relatively destructive, toxic chemicals are commonly used to preserve wool and fur and when poorly managed or discharged pollute waterways and cause devastating pollution, wool production is destructive, wool that is not organic is dipped in toxic chemicals to ward off ticks/lice, toxins from animal excrement pollute air, water, soil, high CO2e carbon emitted, strain on natural resources such as land, food and water, contributes to deforestation, with the large number of animals unnaturally bred onto the planet in the name of human utilization, specifically ruminants (cows, sheep, goats, deer, camels, etc.), they emit high volumes of carbon emissions and contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Felt is…
ANIMALS
Kills: none, felt production does not require any animals to die
Harms: beavers, sheep and other animals with wool and fur, severe animal abuse, strips of skin, teats, tails, ears are often cut off or ripped during shearing, sheep shearer workers often punch, kick, hit and stomp on sheep, stand on their heads, necks and limbs for faster wool shearing
Indirectly kills or harms: lambs, mature sheep, wildlife and ecosystems, lambs may die before 8 weeks old from exposure or starvation, mature sheep die from disease, lack of shelter, neglect, wildlife considered to be “threats” to sheep leads to landowners killing kangaroos and coyotes, permitted by law, resulting in millions slaughtered every year by ranchers and the federal government
Felt is…
- Not Vegan
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Felt…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Is felt durable or delicate?
For every 5 garments produced, the equivalent of 3 end up in a landfill or incinerated each year!
One reason for such wastefulness society’s ever growing desire to acquire. Fast fashion (creating low-priced items at high volumes) is problematic for a number of reasons and promotes the attitude that clothing is nearly disposable.
But another component of such a quick turnaround on clothing is because it’s just not lasting long enough. Snags, stains, warping and shrinkage render items unusable and unacceptable for the donation pile. Avoid such problems by buying better quality, more durable, long lasting materials. Timeless wardrobe favorites that last for years and years are more sustainable and reduce the need for replacements.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles burns or goes to landfills…
Keep minimalism in mind and buy less, borrow and buy items second hand. Thrift shops offer many inexpensive, unique finds that have already proven to stand the test of time!
Is felt sustainable?
No, felt is unsustainable.
Animal materials are a natural fiber and biodegradable unless heavily treated with chemicals. However, they are not at all eco-friendly or sustainable due to the overwhelming strain on natural resources; the water needed, food needed and land usage that must happen for such abundant amounts of animals to live.
With the high number of animals unnaturally bred onto the planet in the name of human utilization, specifically ruminants (cows, sheep, goats, deer, camels, etc.), they emit high volumes of carbon emissions and contaminate air, soil and water with their waste (excrement). This is also toxic to ecosystems and wildlife.
Animal agriculture is not good for the environment, human health and of course, the animals themselves. Thus, animal derived, non-vegan materials are not only cruel and inhumane but environmentally unsustainable.
That’s not to say that all vegan materials are sustainable. There are many vegan yet unsustainable fabrics, materials and textiles. Most of us don’t realize that washing one synthetic garment releases about 2,000 plastic microfibers which then enter the ocean and food chain…or that 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests. So because a fabric is vegan it does not necessarily mean that it is sustainable, eco-friendly and so on.
Natural fibers like cotton are actually really harmful IF they are not organic. How? Cotton seeds are often GMOs that require pesticides, which are extremely toxic! In fact, up to 16% of the world’s pesticides go to non-organic, GMO cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poison cotton pickers.
Wow! …So it’s time to start using sustainable fabrics, materials and textiles.
Read more about ‘What Makes Fabric Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
Is felt vegan?
No, felt is not vegan. Felt is made from wool, which comes from a sheep.
Cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks and foxes are animals commonly subject to exploitation for their skins, hair or feathers. In fact, BILLIONS of them die every single year simply in the name of fashion.
Before buying a pair of shoes, a sweater, a purse, check the materials. Common and unfortunately popular animal-derived materials include leather, suede, fur, feathers, mohair and wool -which often come from places like India and China where there can be NO animal welfare laws or enforcement. If the item does come from a more developed area of the world, such as the United States or Europe, that animal was likely a victim of factory farming. In such overcrowded farms they are confined, diseased and must sometimes live their entire lives indoors, never seeing the light of day.
Material from animals may involve slaughtering like leather and fur production, for instance. But in regards to wool or feathers, animals struggle as they are held down and beaten by workers while sheared or as feathers are ripped from their skin. This leaves them bloody and wounded in pain.
Dressing and decorating vegan is easier than ever with this: Vegan Fabrics, Materials and Textiles List
Does felt have human rights issues?
Felt is a material that may or may not have labor issues.
Did you know that the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? Whether agriculture involves crops or animals, the labor behind each and every product made from cotton, leather, wool, etc. cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, sweatshops and child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence. Unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives simply by being mindful to buy items that are certified fair trade.
So, is felt vegan and sustainable? No, felt is not vegan. Felt is also unsustainable, as animal agriculture is highly destructive to the environment.
This post was all about answering if felt is vegan and sustainable.
Sources:
PETA: The Wool Industry
Sew Guide: Fabric glossary
Textile School: Textile fabric types
PETA: Environmental Hazards of Wool
The Spruce: Types of fabric A to Z: What are you wearing?
EDGE Fast Fact | Non-Biodegradable Clothes Take 20 to 200 Years to Biodegrade
The real cost of your clothes: These are the fabrics with the best and worst environmental impact
Grandview Research: Synthetic Leather Market Worth $40.9 Billion By 2027 | CAGR: 4.4%
