Austrian wool spinner Schoeller, has won this year’s Vorarlberg Innovation Award for its sustainable production. The spinning and dyeing company was honoured for its novel chlorine-free EXP 3.0 wool finishing.

Schoeller is gradually replacing the decades-old chlorine-based finishing processes used all over the world with its new EXP 3.0 method.

“Generally, finishing enables wool to be machine-washed. Wool without these finish properties tends to felt during washing. Conventional wool finishing requires the use of environmentally critical chlorine, but the new EXP-finishing is done without the use of chlorine,” Schoeller explains.

“With the new EXP finish full machine washability is given and the positive wearing properties are maintained. This novel and also water-saving finish has been elaborated during several years’ research by Schoeller in cooperation with the University of Innsbruck (Austria).”

According to the company, due to the sustainability of the finishing process and the positive washing and care properties of the wool, EXP 3.0 finish has become a benchmark for government agencies.

“One of the reasons therefore: EXP 3.0 is the only finishing worldwide that has been certified according to the strict ecological standards of Bluesign and GOTS. Consequently, all doors are open to the novel machine washable EXP-finished merino wool,” Schoeller concludes.

www.schoeller-wool.com