Client: Wool Source Limited

Project: Cradle to Cradle Certified Material Health Certificate™ Gold v4.0 and Life Cycle Analysis of the WS Particles and WS Powder product range.

Context: New Zealand has a long-standing global reputation as a high-quality wool producer with the highest number of sheep per capita in the world and the third highest wool production after China and Australia. Its natural performance benefits include pollution control, odour and oil absorption, moisture retention, skin-friendly pH levels and flame retardance. As a renewable, ethically produced, traceable raw material it offers enviable benefits to organisations looking to improve their sustainability profile.

Wool Source was born with the aim of harnessing the performance benefits of wool in innovative new forms. They use ground-breaking, patent-protected technology to convert specially selected wool fibre into premium multifunctional products (Powder, Pigments, Particles and Cortex), with applications for print, paint, coatings, packaging, personal care, filtration, bioplastics and more.

Wool Source was eager to source expert, external validation of its products’ contribution to a circular economy to give customers total confidence in its positive impacts.

Scope of the project

Accompanying Wool Source in the process of analysis and identification of the health for people and the environment of all components of their materials and Life Cycle Analysis of the same range of products.

Step by step

EIG has accompanied Wool Source in achieving the Cradle to Cradle Certified Material Health Certificate™ standard, Gold level. This certificate, version 4.0, includes the following parts:

• First, understanding the health of the product: identification of components and substances in its WS Particles and WS Powder products, so that they can be compatible with the highest levels of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® standard for Material Health. This has been done by working closely with Wool Source and its supply chain.
• Secondly, to understand the protocols at the company level to ensure proper control of certified production, EIG guided Wool Source in presenting the necessary protocols and associated documentation. EIG carried out an investigation of the company’s environmental policies, guiding the company in defining future objectives for continuous improvement.
• Last but not least, being an animal-based product, work was done to inform Wool Source’s Animal Welfare policy and ensure compliance with certain standards by wool suppliers. Wool Source undertook to source only certified wool. Research was carried out into the animal welfare certificates of the wool used to manufacture the products and it was verified that 100% of the products are made from wool sourced from farms certified for animal welfare and environmental sustainability under the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP).

On the other hand, Wool Source wanted to know the carbon footprint of its products and communicate it with data to its customers. To this end, EIG carried out a Life Cycle Analysis, focusing on 3 key impact categories: climate change, water scarcity and land use; and identifying the strengths and aspects of the cycle that could have a negative impact on people and the environment (from the extraction of raw materials to the end of life).

1. The complete life cycle of the products studied has been analysed, from cradle to gate.
2. The method used complies with the requirements of ISO 14025, EN 15804 and the general rules of EPD International.
3. All 38 indicators described in EN15804, both mandatory and optional, have been assessed.
4. Impacts have been assessed in detail for the 6 production processes.
5. The results have been compared with 5 alternative products for uses related to the manufacture of 4 types of products: deodorants, coatings, pollution protection, and exfoliants.