Wool’s not vegan?? That is correct.  Some will say, “But you don’t have to kill an animal to acquire wool. How is it not vegan?”  Yes, this is true, but it goes deeper than that.

You can make an argument that sheep grow wool and need to be sheared anyway, so we might as well use the byproduct.  I’m not going to say that’s wrong and I am all for using the resources that are provided.  Unfortunately it’s not as simple as that.

Without humans sheep would grow just enough wool to protect them from the elements.  However, over time sheep have been bred to have more wrinkles which means more wool.  More wrinkles leads to more perspiration which can lead to skin infections from fly strike and even maggot infestation.  Of course farmers try to prevent this by mulesing.  That procedure alone is grotesque. Growing more wool also means more body weight and dealing with discomfort through the hot summer months. It’s no surprise that sheep can suffer from heat exhaustion.  On the flip side, when sheep are sheared, many die from the shock of the cold.

When it comes to the actual act of shearing it doesn’t get any better.  You think you’ve given yourself some serious razor burn?  When a shearer is paid not by hour but by the pounds of wool they shear imagine the razor burns and gouging that occurs.  It can’t be pretty.

I could go much deeper into how sheep are castrated, housed, and exported, but for my reasoning, there’s no need to even go there.

I have chosen to take the stance that I’ve taken with honey.  Sheeps grow wool for their own needs so it’s not right for humans take away the wool, especially since we’re exploiting them by genetically modifying their bodies to fit our needs.

Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)