‘Carbon emissions’ describes the release of CO2 into the atmosphere. This greenhouse gas accelerates global warming and its primary sources globally are electricity and heat, agriculture, transportation, forestry, and manufacturing. According to the Carbon Literacy Project, somewhere around 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions are released by the fashion industry every year, with textile production contributing more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined.
Fast fashion did not evolve out of nothing, of course; it reflects popular need and sentiment. For any ordinary shopper environmental concern is just one element directing their choice of when, where and what to buy, and how much to spend. System shocks like the UK’s cost of living crisis add to the push and pull of sustainability, convenience and price.
Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear firmly places wool at the heart of the circular economy, a model of production and consumption which minimises pollution and waste through principles such as reuse, repair, recycle. Through this model we can reduce carbon emissions while extending the lifetime of everything that we own or use. This brings holistic benefits to society as well as the environment: public spending and business running costs are reduced, and communities better resourced. Shared spaces become lovelier to live in or spend time, and learning is carried forward, so that the generations to come are properly equipped to implement systems that secure a greener future for all.
Wool is the ultimate planet-friendly fibre, as described so perfectly by the Campaign for Wool. It is a natural, sustainable and biodegradable resource, infinitely versatile and always beautiful whether pre-loved, re-loved, or brand new. Best of all, wool is already firmly embedded in our collective knowledge bank: humans have been weaving and wearing wool since somewhere around 10,000 BCE. It is already part of our economies and industries, here in Scotland and around the world.
Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear celebrates wool in all its myriad forms and celebrates its place in the circular economy. At the outset our clothing is designed to last a lifetime; it is hard-wearing and robust, capturing the qualities of the fleece from which it is made. Each item can be an heirloom piece, shared, gifted, or passed down through families. But should it ever come to it, each garment could be unravelled and the yarn repurposed, whether in clothing again or for another creative use.
Slow fashion is not cheap at point of sale but long term it is the best value for a personal wardrobe and for society. In the UK we throw away approximately 300,000 tonnes of clothes each year, representing tens of millions of pounds-worth of clothing going into household waste and subsequently to landfill sites. Even when we keep clothes for a reasonable amount of time, the repeated washing that man-made fibres demand releases microplastics into our rivers and seas to an amount estimated by earth.org to be equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles annually.
Merrick knitwear is not made for washing machines or detergents; created from 100% Scottish Blackface wool, it retains the qualities of the original fleece in terms of waterproofing and resilience to smells and stains. We have detailed – minimalist – care instructions here to help you care for your purchase easily through a lifetime of use at almost zero cost.
And don’t forget: Merrick doesn’t just support the circular economy through our outerwear range. We are a social enterprise, directing all profits from sales back into projects that support people and planet. These projects are focused in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, the largest such designation in the UK and a driver of sustainable development in Scotland’s southwest.
Thank you for helping us spread the word that slow fashion is – and must be – the only way forward. Wear it and be inspired!