For wool blankets to be considered “organic wool blankets”, the wool absolutely must be produced in 100% accordance to the federal standards for organic livestock production. There are federal requirements in place that regulate how the wool must be produced from start to finish.
- The livestock feed and forage used from the last 3rd of gestation must be certified as completely organic.
- You cannot use any synthetic hormones.
- You cannot do any genetic engineering.
- You cannot use any synthetic pesticides.
- The producers of the wool must provide and encourage the livestock used to make the wool with healthy cultural and management practices.
The major ways thats normal wool and organic wool livestock differ is that the sheep that are used for organic wool cannot be dipped in any sort of insecticides to control or inhibit parasistes like ticks, lice, etc and that the producers of the wool have to keep in regulations on how many livestock are grazing on their land and make sure not to go over those set limits.
There are 3rd party organizations that oversee and regulate that the producers of the organic wool only use proper methods and handling during the process. Any failure to do so would not allow them to label their wool as organic, and any wool products, such as blankets would not be allowed to carry that label.
Because of the benefits of organic wool, this is enough reason for them to follow the rules strictly.
A few of the breeds of sheep that can used for organic wool are Tunis, Columbia, Navajo-Churro and Rambouillet.