Nui Organics, for Baby
by TreeHugger 
on 03. 9.05
We don’t usually go gaga over the googoo gear, but Nui Organics 100% organic merino blankets and outfits are unavoidably cute. So here we go: Made from wool free of pesticides, formaldehyde, polyester, foams, dioxins and other additives (unlike wool treated to conventional manufacturing practices) Nui Organics raw materials even come from sheep that are grazed on pesticide-free land, are never sprayed or dipped, and are even fed on organically certified pastures. Cleaned with biodegradable agents before being carded and spun at a certified-organic mill, this wool is true to the Earth from tit to toe. And while it’s not surprising that the company uses only organic New Zealand merino, never adding any chemicals or conditioners, you may be somewhat surprised to learn that they don’t use any dyes at all—not even organic ones. The colors here are pure wool, au natural. Oh baby! ::Nui Organics [by MO]
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I have a hard time believing that (however 'green' it may be) this is ethical for the sheep involved. There are numerous parasites that target sheep and can cause the sheep severe discomfort (if you've ever seen flystrike - where the sheep's rear end is just a pulsing mass of putrid, swollen, and sometimes partially necrotic flesh - you'll know what I'm talking about). Green = good, but the sprays and dips used aren't just to make life easier for the shearers.
About the ethical for sheep issue. Flystrike has been dealt with in the green world by sheering the rear so that the flystrike has no area to nest into. I know that is not the whole explanation of the ethical treatment but it is the thing you will want to check before assuming that the animal is being tortured. I read about it and was glad I learned something new.
I know that sheep farming can be a nasty busininess--I've seen that PETA video too--but both of you will be happy to learn that the sheep used to produce wool for Nui Organics are never sprayed or dipped, as is the custom with most conventional wool production systems. These organic sheep are instead bred for resistance to parasites and are fed on organically certified pastures to build healthy immune systems. According to Nui's site, "mulesing," or the removal of wool and skin near the sheep’s rear end to prevent fly-strike, is not practiced. Thanks for reading, and for commenting, Meg [MO].