Our own wool felt blend is mulesing-free
Ethical merino wool felt: soft and cruelty-free
At Pack & Smooch our production is craftsmanship. Every iPhone sleeve, laptop case and accessory is built with clean seams and precisely cut edges. Just as much attention goes into the materials: durable leather and premium merino wool felt, quality that lasts, with animal welfare and environmental responsibility in mind.
Why we no longer use Australian wool
Sustainable thinking means staying alert, for us and for our suppliers, across the entire production chain. We source our mulesing-free merino wool felt blend from a German manufacturer. The reason is the cruel practice known as mulesing: the removal of skin around a sheep's tail, typically without anaesthesia. It is commonly used in Australia to prevent flystrike. Nearly 90 % of the world's merino wool comes from Australia.
Flystrike as the underlying problem
"To increase wool yield, merino sheep have been bred to have excessive skin folds, which makes them especially prone to flystrike," writes the German Animal Welfare Federation. "Flies lay their eggs in the warm, damp folds of skin. The resulting maggots burrow into living tissue, causing severe infections and often death."
The animal rights organisation PETA also condemns mulesing as cruel and painful, arguing that more humane alternatives exist. Australia's National Farmers Federation counters that mulesing is the most effective way to prevent myiasis. We prefer clarity, especially since the practice is banned in Germany. That is why we fully support our supplier's decision, which was not a simple one: for a long time German producers had no alternative, because wool from different countries was mixed during manufacturing.
Where our wool comes from today
We still use the very fine wool of the merino sheep, just not from Australia. Merino wool is also produced in New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina. In New Zealand and South Africa mulesing is banned, in Argentina it is not common practice. Merino wool is breathable and weather-resistant, and thanks to our own felt blend it is ideally suited to our products.
Where this felt is used
In every one of our sleeves. In the SUFFOLK at 100 %, carrying only our embossed leather logo. In the HAMPSHIRE and the CORRIEDALE with a contrasting leather patch. And in the ANGUS as the soft lining beneath the full leather.
All models: MacBook sleeves and bags · iPad sleeves and bags
