Wool industry continues to advocate over proposed EU labelling laws

The International Wool Textile Organisation Congress, held in Kyoto, Japan last week saw delegates from around the world gather to discuss the future of wool, including key challenges facing the sector.

AWI sustainability manager Emma Gittoes told the Congress that the product environment footprint being developed by the European Commission had problems with its methodology.

"In terms of the PEF methodology, it's based on LCA (life cycle assessment) and it was created back in 2013... to assess products in the EU single market," she said.

"However being a decade old it does not accurately reflect what the latest environmental science has come to and what's been gleaned in that time.

"It also fails to adequately consider key sustainability factors that are relevant to the fashion industry and are also relevant to our fibre, including being a renewable and biodegradable raw material, as well as the adverse impact such as plastics ending up in landfill from clothing that is being discarded or microplastic pollution that is a result of synthetic garments being washed and worn.

Ms Gittoes said while the apparel and footwear sector will be the first to be assessed under the PEF, the broad wool industry would be affected in future as future categories also began to be assessed.

AWI began its Make the Label Count campaign in 2021 to try and shape the direction of the PEF methodology and now represents wool, silk, cashmere, mohair, alpaca, cotton and hemp.

The campaign published its white paper last year, arguing that the PEF methodology needs to be updated to include three new indicators- microplastic pollution, plastic waste and circularity to allow a level playing field for natural fibres.

Ms Gittoes said they were pleased to see the recent Green Claims Directive published by the European Commission in March did not mention using the PEF.

"In the proposal the committee actually acknowledged that the PEF had limitations and that was the reason why they weren't adopting it," she said.

"They mentioned that it omits consideration of crucial impacts such as microplastics release, which was the foundation of our campaign.

"And while this is a positive development I want to stress it is the first step in the legislative process in the EU, this proposed piece of legislation still needs to go through the European parliament where we envision there will be a lot of stakeholders who will be heavily lobbying the member of parliament to put the PEF back in."

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Ms Gittoes said they would continue advocating on the issue and they expected the issue to come to a close before parliament goes to election in April next year.

AWI is also keeping an eye on the Eco Design for Sustainable Products legislation, which is proposing the introduction of digital product passports.

It is expected that the final law will be agreed to in early 2024.

Ms Gittoes said further financial support from industry would help keep the campaign going and industry contributions to European Commission calls for feedback were important to get the wool sector's voice heard.

Australian Wool Innovation chief executive John Roberts said consumer demand, market access, brand reputation and biosecurity meant supply chain traceability would be critical moving forward.

"It's very important that we take control of our own narrative in the sustainability space because it is moving so, so quickly," he said.

"What Emma spoke about was the PEF in Europe but we'll have the New York Fashion Act, we'll have another one coming our way too.

"I know when the Australian wool industry works together they do great things... and I think now's an opportunity for us to step up again and actually really take a lead role in this traceability space."