Wool & the Environment

This document provides information about wool carpet flooring and the environment.

Discover the Good Nature of New Zealand Wool

Sheep outnumber people in New Zealand 13 to 1 and are a natural icon for the country. Living in the green hills and gentle, unpolluted climate, sheep enjoy unique natural advantages that enable them to grow incredibly beautiful, superior wool. As the world's largest exporter of wool for carpets, New Zealand farmers have access to a vast repository of research and a strong legacy of wool harvesting skills. Such expertise ensures that their techniques impose minimum environmental impact and guarantees better animal care.

New Zealand Wool: A Fabulous fiber!

New Zealand sheep produce a naturally strong and uniform wool fiber which is flame retardant and resistant to dirt and crushing. It's also naturally versatile. And because New Zealand wool is exceptionally pure and white, it possesses excellent dyeing characteristics that assure striking, rich, saturated color.

Environmentally Friendly

New Zealand wool used to manufacture products that carry the Wools of New Zealand mark carpets is one of the purest, most ecological fibers in the world. To produce this biodegradable and renewable resource, only environmentally responsible production methods are used. And the manufacturing process and the products themselves must conform to environmental requirements in the country of consumption.

Through the research of WRONZ (Wool Research organization of New Zealand), New Zealand wool is scoured using the most energy and water-efficient system in the world. Moreover, scientific land management and flock rotation ensure that the land will nurture this natural fiber for generations to come.


No internationally banned pesticides are used on New Zealand sheep farms. Since 1993, pesticide levels have been cut in half, making New Zealand's sheep industry one of the world's greenest animal production systems. Any slight residue on the product is removed during the scouring process.

So when you see the Wools of New Zealand mark , you will know it is applied only to wool carpets meeting the highest quality - and environmental - standards.

New Zealand is the world's second largest wool exporter to all markets and is the leading carpet wool supplier. That's because New Zealand wool is naturally the cleanest and whitest wool in the world for all purposes. And we are committed to preserving both quality and the environment.

As a policy Wools of New Zealand will:
  • Mitigate or avoid wherever possible the environmental impact of wool production in New Zealand.
  • Advance wool production that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable and consistent with the maintenance of animal health and productivity.
  • Fund targeted research and programmes that develop technologies and processes that improve environmental performance.
  • Communicate to farmers and brand partners the best available technology for environmental management and compliance.
  • Ensure that to qualify for the Wools of New Zealand label, carpets and rugs are produced by the most environmentally acceptable methods available.

Wool Research Organization of New Zealand (WRONZ)

New Zealand wool growers enjoy the support of the world's best technical and research facility in WRONZ. They are committed to scientific land management to ensure minimal environmental impact - less than that of the other wool-producing countries.

Through WRONZ research, New Zealand wool is scoured using the most energy and water-efficient system in the world. Scientific land management and flock rotation ensure that the land will provide this natural fiber for future generations to use and enjoy.

Protecting Purity

For protection against lice, pesticides are applied to sheep. New Zealand wool is free from banned pesticides, and those used are similar to ones utilised to protect food crops. Any slight residue on wool is removed during the scouring process. Pesticide levels have been reduced by one-half since 1993, making New Zealand's sheep industry one of the world's greenest animal production systems. New Zealand's ongoing commitment to the environment continues, with the goal to further reduce or eliminate the use of various non-banned chemicals.