A new word I learnt last night when I was visiting
Knitty and found this cute
pattern but also noted the designer took account of knitters who might want to avoid wool because of the
mulesing controversy. I was quite shocked to read of sheep being mutilated without anaesthetic. And the clear message seemed to be not to buy AUSTRALIAN merino wool.
So today I went into
Tapestry Craft which is the most wonderful and amazing wool shop I know in Sydney. I had had a very full day and I just needed to touch some fibre and be in a creative place. AND it was a good opportunity to see if they stocked 'cruelty free' wool.
While the staff had no knowledge of the issue I met a wonderful knitting woman from Armidale - a merino producing area - who explained the producers side of the story. Fly strike is a horrible condition that affects merino sheep in Australia because of our hot wet climate. Basically flies lay eggs in thick wool around the backside of the sheep and maggots burrow into the flesh (not nice I know - that's all I'll say and leave the rest to your imagination). So basically the backside is bared to prevent this horrible and life-threatening condition. According to this informant the procedure is ALWAYS performed with local anaesthetic, and is performed only once for each sheep. It is only a problem for Merino sheep who have wrinkly skin in their nether regions. BUT New Zealand does not use this procedure, possibly because of the different climate and also long term investment in genetic and other ways to prevent fly strike.
PINK withdrew her call to boycott Australian wool when she heard the full story.
As in so much of our lives there are two sides to every story. In this case I am pleased that I took the time to investigate. I am evolving into a questioner - asking at cafes how their coffee is produced and how the grower is compensated. And now thinking of animal welfare not only when I buy eggs (barn laid is my minimum acceptable level - free range whenever I can afford it) but also when I buy wool.
This does seem to link in with
Brian McLaren's prosperity hypothesis that we as humans take more from earth than earth itself can bear. Questions about whether it is appropriate to seek to raise sheep in environments that are unsuitable, how much we can intervene to adapt nature to our requirements, what respect we owe to our fellow mammals and to what extent it is appropriate to
use them for
our ends, how we can shift our Western investments in furthering our own comfort to actually saving lives of children internationally etc etc remain unanswered.
But for the moment I will knit up my merino from NZ with a clear conscience. I will seek to tread lightly on this planet. I will not use ethanol in the car, recognising that this has contributed to the massive increase in staple food costs internationally. I will seek to reduce emissions not by burning people's food in my vehicle, but by using the car less and walking more. I will boycott grain fed meat and eat more grains myself.
And I will cast on some stitches and make some
winter warmers
