Best practice care of clothing

Wool’s ability to absorb body odours and bind them within the fibre until the garment is washed presents an advantage to both the wearer and the planet, compared to other fibre types. This project is aiming to obtain the evidence needed to quantify the latter – addressing a key knowledge gap that limits our ability to market wool’s full potential. The study compares the odour retention capacity of similar garments made from different fibres during normal daily use and will establish and recommend washing frequencies reflecting best practice care. The environmental impacts of the different fibre types will be established through quantitative assessment of water, energy and detergent use.