Yak Wool Is The Ultimate Fabric For Fashion Circularity

Composting worn-out wool fibers combats fabric waste and gives it back to the soil.

Putting An Oliver Charles Sweater To The Test On A Sustainable Wyoming Homestead

Introducing the 2nd blog in my 3-part blog series detailing my first-hand experience as a homesteader and sustainability professional in an Oliver Charles All-Season Marled Crew.

This blog goes beyond the 7 Day Challenge, and dives into why wool is not just a highly practical and high-performance fabric, but why it’s one of the most sustainable at the end of its (long) lifetime.

• 7 Day Sweater Challenge
• Composting Wool
• Wool For All Weather

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The fashion industry is a significant contributor to global waste—92 million tons per year, to be specific. This is exacerbated by the fact that over 60% of garments these days are made from non-biodegradable synthetic fibers.

These materials persist in landfills for years, leaching harmful chemicals into the environment. Surely there has to be a better way to fill our closets while not filling landfills.

There is! Natural fabrics—you know, the ones humans have been wearing for thousands and thousands of years long before we ever discovered the joys (or horrors) of petroleum—which are 100% compostable at the end of their wearable life.

As someone with a long professional history promoting fashion circularity, along with extensive experience in composting and organic gardening, both on my micro-homestead and as a director of my local community garden, I’ve witnessed firsthand the versatility and benefits of composting such materials.

But not all natural fabrics are created equally and one in particular stands out in terms of terms wonderf-wool end-of-life outcome: yak wool. So let’s stop yakking and dive into why the yak wool used in Oliver Charles’ All-Season Sweaters has so many benefits for the world—even after you’ve finally worn it out.

Is Wool Biodegradable?

First things first, does wool break down in nature and, more specifically, in a home composting setting?

Yes, wool is a natural fiber derived from animals, primarily sheep, but not necessarily, and is 100% biodegradable.

Wool is composed of a protein called keratin, which microorganisms can break down under the right conditions.

These conditions include a mix of green and brown compost materials (wool is a green, or nitrogen-rich, material), adequate moisture, oxygen, and a temperature range between 100-160°F.

A typical home composting system, such as a compost pile or bin, can easily meet these requirements, meaning anyone, anywhere can use composting to up their closet’s circularity.

The Benefits Of Composting Wool

The most obvious benefit to composting fabrics like yak wool is taking a big biodegradable bite out of the astronomical amount of global textile waste.

The fashion industry generates huge amounts of textile waste annually, largely consisting of synthetic garments with no environmentally friendly end-of-life options other than energy-intensive recycling—of which only 1% of post-consumer clothing  is anyway.

Wool, on the other hand, can be fully returned to the earth through composting, neither contributing to landfill mass nor the methane gasses emitted when organic materials break down in anaerobic settings—such as in landfills.

This is huge, considering methane gas traps around 120 times as much heat in the earth’s atmosphere as CO2. Beyond simply not contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, wool goes one step further in actually helping to sequester carbon. Since wool fibers come from grazing animals who eat carbon-absorbing plants, some of that carbon ends up stored in their wool.

Then, when composted, that carbon is transferred to the soil, where it can remain for hundreds of years, rather than being released back into the atmosphere to contribute to climate change.

On a more micro scale, wool fibers act as a slow-release fertilizer, gradually breaking down and releasing valuable nitrogen into the soil, promoting healthy plant growth.

Its excellent moisture retention capabilities help maintain optimal soil moisture levels while its hollow fibers keep air flowing, which combined, make it a sustainable substitute for peat-moss-based compost, which prevents the harmful destruction of carbon sequestering peat bogs.

Beyond its benefits within the compost pile, wool can also be used as a sustainable mulch for gardens. When spread around plants, wool fibers act as a natural weed suppressant, blocking sunlight and preventing weed seeds from germinating. Wool mulch also helps regulate soil temperature, keeping plant roots cool in the summer and insulating them from frost in the winter.

How To Compost Wool Garments

Composting wool garments is a simple process that can be done at home.

However, it’s important to do it correctly to optimize your composting conditions, especially since yak wool is higher quality than most other types of wool thanks to the presence of hydrophobic myristic fatty acid, which makes it slightly more resistant to degradation.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how to optimally break down yak (or any) wool:

• Prepare The Garment: Remove any non-biodegradable materials, such as buttons, zippers, or tags, before composting. Then shred the wool garment into small pieces. This increases the surface area exposed to microbes, accelerating the decomposition process.
• Add To Compost Bin: Place the shredded wool pieces into your compost bin or pile. Ensure a good balance of nitrogen-rich green materials (like food scraps and grass clippings) and carbon-rich brown materials (like paper, dry leaves, and twigs) to maintain the right carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for efficient composting.
• Maintain Moisture And Airflow: Keep the compost moist but not soggy, as proper moisture levels are essential for microbial activity. Turn the compost regularly to provide aeration, which helps distribute oxygen and prevents the pile from becoming compacted.
• Monitor And Wait: Monitor the compost pile's temperature and moisture levels regularly. The composting process can take several months to a year, depending on the size of the wool pieces and the environmental conditions.
  
  I live in a mountainous environment with very cold winters, so while I get no biodegradation throughout the winter, I’ve successfully been able to compost wool materials in about four summer months in my hot, regularly turned compost tumbler.

Once the compost is dark, crumbly, and has an earthy smell, it's ready to be used in your garden.

Composting Wool Vs Other Fabrics

Wool Vs. Cotton
When it comes to composting, wool outperforms cotton in several ways.

First, wool production typically involves fewer chemical inputs compared to cotton farming (unless organic cotton). Non-organic cotton often relies heavily on pesticides and fertilizers. When composted, these chemicals can leach into the soil and have negative environmental impacts.

Second, wool fibers break down more quickly than cotton fibers in a compost environment. This is because wool is primarily composed of protein, which microorganisms readily decompose. Cotton, on the other hand, contains plant-based cellulose, which takes longer to break down.

As a result, composting wool contributes to a healthier and more efficient composting process.

Wool Vs. Linen

While both wool and linen are natural, biodegradable fibers, wool offers superior performance and insulation properties compared to linen. Wool fibers have a natural crimp, which creates tiny air pockets that trap heat, providing excellent insulation even when wet.

This also created a more well-aerated compost pile, which speeds up the decomposition process even without regular turning. As with cotton, wool’s protein content can also yield a more efficient composting process.

Wool Vs. Hemp

Hemp fibers, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, are also biodegradable and compostable. However, hemp fibers decompose more slowly than wool due to their higher cellulose content. Additionally, wool's ability to retain moisture and regulate temperature can contribute to a more efficient composting process

My Final Thoughts

Yak wool is not only biodegradable, but it also offers a sustainable solution to the fashion industry's waste problem.

By choosing to compost worn-out wool garments (whether yak, merino, or otherwise), such as your favorite 100% Yak Wool Sweater after you’ve worn it to death (which might take a while!), we can contribute to a circular fashion model that benefits both our gardens and the environment by cutting out textile waste, enriching the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, conserving water, and combating climate change by sequestering carbon.

So next time you consider discarding an old wool sweater, remember that composting can be a rewarding and eco-friendly way to give back to the earth.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.