Australian Merino wool is the world's finest and softest wool in the world. Its natural benefits are so great and wonderful that no other fibre - natural or man-made - can match it.
A Low, Slow Journey To Create Carbon Neutral Garments & Revitalise Australian Wool Processing/Manufacturing.
2021 was a big year for M.J. Bale. We became 100% carbon neutral, certified by Climate Active for both products and organisation, and we also produced a world first zero-emission wool at our partner farm, Kingston, in Tasmania.
The zero-emission wool trial went for 300 consecutive days. It included 48 Kingston Merino ewes, which were fed a daily supplement of asparagopsis seaweed, grown by Sea Forest in Triabunna, Tasmania. CSIRO science had proved that feeding ruminant livestock (e.g., sheep and cattle) asparagopsis seaweed as just 0.2% of their daily diet reduced their methane emissions by between 80%-98%. The trial yielded a total of 105 kilograms of superfine Merino wool.
The question then remained: what will we do with this zero-emission wool? We shipped 100 kilograms to our centuries-old weaving partner in Biella, Italy, Vitale Barberis Canonico, to weave the into Super 150s worsted cloth. This cloth will be made into limited edition blazers at our tailoring atelier in the Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
But the thought nagged at us. Can we get the remaining 35 kg of wool processed and made in Australia? Everyone told us ‘No’, but we persisted and persisted until we found a processor, top maker, spinner and knitter – all in regional Victoria.
Today, March 10, 2022, we have started this journey to create prototype knits from M.J. Bale zero-emission wool. Our objective is to create arguably the world’s first net zero-emission woollen knitwear, helping to kickstart Made in Australia wool processing and manufacturing along the way.
We’re taking the slowest and longest route possible to keep the emissions related to transport as low as possible.
The journey starts at our carbon positive-accredited wool growing farm, Kingston. From here the 35 kg of zero-emission wool will be transported the 200 kilometres to Hobart by bicycle, piloted by adventurer Two Dogs.
