Microplastics
Penalty 0/100 - weighted impact 0
Wool is recorded as Natural Fiber with no listed microplastic polymer, so it does not add a microplastic-source penalty.
Natural Fiber
Wool clothing: health and sustainability score
Natural fiber from sheep with excellent insulation properties. Biodegradable and renewable, but environmental impact varies significantly based on farming practices and animal welfare standards.
Score drivers
Greener Closet scores materials from several penalty inputs. The same material can be reasonable in one product and weak in another, but these are the default drivers behind the base material record.
No default penalty
PFAS uncertainty
Penalty 0/100 - weighted impact 0
MaterialsDB does not apply a base PFAS penalty to Wool. Product-level water, stain, or performance finishes can still change PFAS risk.
Half-life and biodegradability
Penalty 0/100 - weighted impact 0
Wool has no persistence penalty in MaterialsDB, which generally reflects better biodegradability than petroleum-based synthetics.
Fiber shedding
Penalty 0/100 - weighted impact 0
Wool has no default microfiber-shedding penalty in MaterialsDB. Garment construction and laundering still matter.
Manufacturing energy
Penalty 50/100 - weighted impact 5
Wool carries a manufacturing-energy penalty, so production impacts remain part of the score even when microplastic risk is low.
Safer alternatives to consider
Best next step
Paste the full fabric label into the homepage checker. A 95% cotton, 5% elastane garment will not score the same as 100% cotton, and the checker handles those percentages.
Use the material-label checkerRelated scored products
82 visible scored products include Wool.
Women's Wool Cruiser Waterproof
Brand: Allbirds
97/100
Women'sShoes
The Woolaroo Cocoon Jacket
Brand: Outerknown
97/100
Women'sCoats and Jackets
Scottish Tweed Nep Sweater in Sand
Brand: Pyne & Smith
97/100
Women'sSweaters
Willow Organic Throw
Brand: Coyuchi
96/100
HomeBlankets
The Natural REM Mattress
Brand: Coyuchi
96/100
Home
Sequoia Washable Organic Cotton and Wool Blanket
Brand: Coyuchi
96/100
HomeBlankets
Sequoia Washable Organic Cotton and Wool Throw
Brand: Coyuchi
96/100
HomeBlankets
The Anthology x Permanent Style Polo Coat - Herringbone Donegal Tweed
Brand: The Anthology
95/100
Men'sCoats and Jackets
Common questions
Does Wool clothing shed microplastics?
Wool has no listed microplastic polymer in MaterialsDB, though garment construction and washing still affect fiber release.
Is Wool biodegradable?
Wool has no half-life penalty in MaterialsDB, which is a better biodegradability signal than petroleum-based synthetics.
How should I check a Wool blend?
Use the Greener Closet material-label checker with the full percentage label, because blends can change the final score even when Wool is only one part of the garment.