In its 60th anniversary year, Woolmark is introducing a new Recycled Wool specification, the first time the mark will be applied to recycled fibre.

It joins the wider Woolmark Certification Program that has three main logos: Woolmark (100% pure new wool), Woolmark Blend (50%-99.9% new wool), and Wool Blend (30%-49.9% new wool).

The Certification Program, operated globally by The Woolmark Company, is the gold standard for wool quality, and the  launch of the Recycled Wool sub-brand under the new RW-1 specification “marks a significant step towards a more sustainable textile industry,” the company said. 

“Wool is the most recycled apparel fibre globally,” said its MD John Roberts. “Our new Recycled Wool mark supports the shift from a linear to a circular production model, reducing waste and pollution.”

The new specification ensures products contain at least 20% recycled wool, while also meeting The Woolmark Certification Program’s quality standards.

Products can feature recycled wool from both pre-consumer sources, such as fabric cutting waste, and post-consumer sources, like garments, certified by standards such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS).

“Wool accounts for only 1% of the apparel fibre market,” Roberts added. “Creating a sub-brand to promote the reuse and repurposing of this remarkable fibre will help advance wool use in new categories and keep this rare fibre in circulation for longer.”

The Woolmark logo was launched in 1964 and has certified over five billion wool and wool care products since then.