Let's be honest, who doesn't love to slip into a warm and cuddly merino sweater on cold days? Unfortunately, the extraction of merino wool has a dark side, the mulesing.

What is mulesing?

Mulesing is the removal of the skin flaps around the tail of a sheep. This is to prevent the fly maggot disease, myiasis. The maggots nest in the skin of the host, in this case the sheep, and feed there parasitically. This can lead to the death of the sheep.

How is mulesing done?

In principle, the intention of mulesing would be the welfare of the animals, unfortunately the procedure is extremely problematic. Because the skin is cut off already on lambs without any anesthetic.The wounds are left free, because on this cut surfaces, without wool and skin folds, no larvae can settle down. Unfortunately, the fact that the open wounds can also be infested by larvae is not taken into account.

What can be done about it?

We at Somi have decided not to support this cruel practice and to source the wool from mulesing free production. Most of this wool comes from Patagonia, because these larvae do not occur there and the sheep do not need to be protected from them. All this is confirmed with a certificate from the manufacturer. 

You can help put an end to this cruel practice. Next time you buy merino wool, make sure that it is mulesing free wool.