Himalayan wool vs synthetic: Why nature wins (every time)

Why wool beats synthetics - for your wardrobe and the planet

Fast fashion has made clothes cheap, but the environment is paying the price. Synthetic garments dominate, spreading microplastics with every wash. But there's a simpler choice that lasts longer and takes care of itself.

Himalayan wool - from the roof of the world

The wool that Himalayan Wool's sweaters are made from comes from sheep and kittens high up in the mountains of Nepal, at an altitude of 3000 meters. This is not just any wool. When animals live in extreme conditions - where temperatures fluctuate wildly between day and night, and where the cold bites hard - they develop a wool with unique properties. Himalayan wool is extra dense, warm and resilient. It has more crimps per centimeter than regular sheep's wool, creating more air pockets that insulate even better.

The animals graze freely throughout the summer with shepherds taking care of them in the traditional way. The shearing is done gently, and the wool is processed by hand by local artisans with years of experience. This is slow fashion in its purest form - from the mountain top to your body, with respect for animals, people and nature.

The best part? When you choose Himalayan Wools, you get:

• Even better thermal insulation thanks to the dense structure of wool from high altitudes
• Softer fiber from young animals - lambs and kids
• Traditional crafts supporting local families in Nepal
  
• Wool that breathes perfectly in both cold and heat

Wool - nature's own super material

Wool is like a natural thermostat for your body. When it's cold it keeps you warm, when you sweat it lets moisture through and keeps you dry. Perfect for both the office and the mountains, all year round.

And the best part? Wool almost never needs washing. The keratin in the fiber traps odors, and lanolin repels dirt. Often, airing the garment on a hanger is enough. It saves time, money and the environment.

Synthetics, on the other hand, quickly become odorous and require frequent washing. It wears out the garment, increases energy consumption and releases microplastics into the water.

Microplastics - the hidden problem of synthesis

Natural wool on the left and synthetics on the right

Here's the hard truth: every time you wash a fleece sweater, thousands of tiny plastic particles are released into the water. Many of these pass through wastewater treatment plants and end up in lakes, oceans and soil.

Microplastics do not disappear. They stay in nature for hundreds of years, ending up in fish and other animals, and spreading through food chains. Wool, on the other hand, decomposes naturally and returns nutrients such as nitrogen and sulphur to the soil - like a slow release fertilizer.

Wool lasts longer (much longer)

The wool fiber is crimpy and elastic, it springs back after pressure. This means that wool garments retain their shape and resist wear and tear better than synthetics, which are prone to pilling and losing their fit.

Here's how to make your wool garments last even longer:

• Air often, wash infrequently and in barely warm water or the wool program of the washing machine.
• Use wool comb for light napping
• Making small holes directly at seams and cuffs
  

Climate-smart choices

Wool is a renewable resource that grows back every year. Grazing sheep helps keep land open and can even support carbon sequestration in the soil when grazing is managed properly.
Synthetics come from fossil fuels and their production emits CO2 right from the raw material extraction stage. Plus, the material never breaks down properly - it just turns into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic.

Why it matters

When you choose wool over synthetic, you make several smart choices at once:

• Fewer washes = less energy and water
• No microplastics in nature
• Garments that last for years

Materials that can return to nature

Slow Fashion is about buying less but better. Wool garments fit perfectly into that mindset - they last a long time, look after themselves and don't harm the planet when they're finally worn out.

Next time you go shopping: choose a wool garment, treat it with care and wear it for many years. Small choices add up when we make them together.