# Sustainable Wool Replacements This Cozy Wool Alternative is Made from Leftover Animal Parts By Christopher Magsambol | Published 2015-08-13 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wool-alternative References: [wired](http://www.wired.com/2015/08/luxury-wool-made-leftover-animal-parts/) & [atsolutionssc](https://atsolutionssc.com/luxury-wool-made-from-leftover-animal-parts/) Wendelin Stark and his team are currently perfecting a wool alternative material that can be used to create cozy winter apparel. Functional Materials Laboratory at [ETH Zürich](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unfold-form) is working on using leftover animal material from carcasses -- that otherwise would be thrown out -- to extract the necessary materials for making clothing. Stark's process turns unused skin, bones and ligaments of slaughter house animals into a basis for clothing. The gelatin extracted from these materials is put in a chemical bath and when dried and extracted, the material resembles wool. This extracted material later becomes the fiber needed to produce [sweaters, mittens and hats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/linkdesigns). Upon starting the project, Stark wanted to address two issues: the over-production of textiles, as well as discarded carcass waste. Through his innovative work, Stark's wool-like clothing can provide an extremely sustainable wool alternative. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 32% | Activity: 37% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Animal-based Sustainable Materials:** Creating wool alternatives from leftover animal parts presents an opportunity for sustainable and eco-friendly material production. - **Textile Recycling and Waste Reduction:** Developing processes to transform discarded carcass waste into useful materials can help address the issue of over-production and reduce textile waste. - **Circular Fashion Economy:** Utilizing animal remnants to create clothing fibers promotes the concept of a circular fashion economy by making use of otherwise wasted resources. ### Where This Applies - **Textile Manufacturing:** The textile manufacturing industry can explore the use of animal-based materials as a sustainable alternative to traditional wool production. - **Fashion and Apparel:** Fashion and apparel brands can incorporate wool alternatives made from leftover animal parts in their product lines, offering environmentally-friendly options to consumers. - **Sustainable Agriculture:** The sustainable agriculture industry can collaborate with material scientists to explore the potential of utilizing animal remnants for wool-like clothing production, reducing waste in the process. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Camel Hair-Made Sustainable Materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cameluxe.md) - [Ethical Merino Wool Clothing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/knit-kite-jacket.md) - [Sustainable Knitwear Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/native-regenerative-wool.md) - [Cruelty-Free Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crueltyfree-leather-alternative.md) - [Hair-Reusing Fabric Companies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dutch-startup.md) - [Fruit-Based Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peelsphere.md) - [Bio-Based Textile Cashmere](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/everbloom.md) - [Lab-Grown Fibre Scarves](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burberry-b-shield-scarf.md) - [PETA-Approved Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biodegradable-leather-alternative.md)