Australian Wool Industry's Leadership Failures Costing Growers and Consumers
The real costs from its failure to transition away from live lamb cutting
24 April 2025 - Australian wool growers are missing out on significant financial opportunities by failing to meet the growing demand for Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool, with premiums for RWS certified wool rising to 100-150c/kg.
One of the biggest factors in growers not qualifying for RWS is the failure to transition away from live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing).
The demand for wool that meets both sustainability and animal welfare standards is only set to increase over the coming years.
Over 330 global brands, including Zara, Patagonia, and Hugo Boss, have publicly opposed live lamb cutting with many committing to ending their use of wool sourced from live lamb cutting by 2030.
Consumer sentiment against this practice is only growing stronger, and the market is increasingly favouring animal welfare certified wool. This is especially true in Europe and the US which “are the main destinations for Australian wool and also at the forefront of animal welfare and sustainability policy,” stated ACWEP president Josh Lamb
FOUR PAWS has been trying to engage the industry on this issue for over a decade.
The failure to end live lamb cutting is not just a financial and trade issue; it is a blight on the wool industry. Every major animal welfare organisation in the country, including RSPCA Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association, has taken a public stance against this practice.
The Australian wool industry has the potential to lead on this issue, but it must act. The demand for RWS certified wool presents an opportunity for growers to transition to humane practices, benefiting both animal welfare and market competitiveness.
FOUR PAWS urges the Australian wool industry to prioritise animal welfare and align with global standards to secure a sustainable future.
The Australian Wool Industry's Broken Promise
In 2024, FOUR PAWS published The Broken Promise: The Australian wool industry’s failure to end live lamb cutting (mulesing), and why governments must step in.
Report: The Broken Promise
The Australian wool industry’s failure to end live lamb cutting (mulesing), and why governments must step in.
FOUR PAWS Australia is a member of the Australian Alliance for Animals. www.four-paws.org.au
Elise Burgess
Head of CommunicationsM: 0423 873 382
FOUR PAWS Australia
GPO Box 2845
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Main Phone: 1800 454 228
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About FOUR PAWS
FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them.
Founded in 1988 in Vienna by Heli Dungler and friends, the organisation advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. The sustainable campaigns and projects of FOUR PAWS focus on companion animals including stray dogs and cats, animals in fashion, farm animals, and wild animals – such as bears, big cats, and orangutans – kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones.
With offices in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam as well as sanctuaries for rescued animals in eleven countries, FOUR PAWS provides rapid help and long-term solutions. www.four-paws.org.au