Prince Charles urges Brits to ditch acrylic in favour of wool

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The Prince of Wales is championing the eco-friendly properties of wool
Says the fibre should be making 'a much bigger contribution' in our lives
Charles, 69, even set a synthetic jumper on fire in an experiment
Recalled how the garment burst into a 'disconcerting' blaze while the wool jumper 'smouldered in relative safety' in Clarence House's gardens

By Unity Blott For Mailonline

Published: 05:46 EST, 5 September 2016 | Updated: 05:51 EST, 5 September 2016

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The Prince of Wales is urging Brits to ditch acrylic this winter in favour of wool.

The keen environmentalist and heir to the throne says we should all be making the most of the 'extraordinary and versatile material' due to its environmentally-friendly properties.

In a new column for the Telegraph, Charles, 67, champions the natural fibre for its many qualities, from its versatility to its ability to keep us cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

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Prince Charles leads a sheep at Highrove House, his country home in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. In a new column, he has urged Brits to ditch acrylic in favour of wool

'We seem to have rather lost sight of the much bigger contribution that wool could, and should, be making in our lives,' he wrote.

His Royal Highness has been involved in the Campaign for Wool for the past seven years, which was set up in part because of the 'severe financial pressure' sheep farmers were under - in some cases receiving less money for their wool than the cost of sharing their livestock.

He says it is 'more important than ever' to make the most of natural materials which are not manufactured using fossil fuels, and can be recycled.

Charles watches a sheep dog running along the back of the sheep during a visit to the Leenavale Sheep Stud at Sorell during the Diamond Jubilee tour of Australia in 2012

Charles helps with sheep shearing at the Leenavale Sheep Stud, Sorrell, in 2012. His Royal Highness has been involved in the Campaign for Wool for the past seven years

'When [natural fibres] are also practical and beautiful, we really should treasure them and use them as much as possible,' he wrote. 'But this is not yet happening with wool.

Charles, who will next week be hosting The Dumfries House Conference in Scotland - bringing together wool industry leaders from around the world - hopes to convince retailers of the importance of using the fibre.

The first in line to the throne says he conducted a test at Clarence House where he buried two jumpers in a flowerbed - one woollen, one synthetic.

Charles with New Zealand's then Minister for Agriculture, Jim Sutton, during a visit to Moutere Station, in Central Otago, in 2005

He observed the former 'biodegraded itself away to nothing' after six months while the other remained perfectly intact.

In another experiment, he burned two jumpers and watched how the wool 'smouldered in relative safety' while the synthetic burst into a 'disconcerting' blaze.

Charles explained that he hopes to champion wool as 'as a global fashion resource of the highest quality' - and calls on 'environmentally aware' consumers to who seek out quality and durability when it comes to fashion and interiors, adding: 'that is exactly what wool provides.'

THE BEAUTY OF WOOL

A wool jumper can keep you warm this winter

Wool is tough and lasts longer than any man-made fibre.
It is naturally flame-resistant, avoiding the need for chemical coatings; in an experiment at Clarence House, Charles observed how wool wool 'smouldered in relative safety' when set alight.
It's warm in winter yet cool in summer.
Wool is hypoallergenic and dust mites don’t like it.
Wool is 100 per cent natural and sustainable — the ultimate eco-friendly fibre. It uses significantly less energy during production and degrades much quicker than synthetics.
Wool has a fantastic ability to hold dye, so sofas and chairs can be as vibrant — or as subtle — as you wish.
Believe it or not, wool fabrics are easy to care for. Wool is naturally anti-static, so will pick up less dirt and dust.