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A group of sheep fenced in on a city street, surrounded by people observing them, with luxury store fronts and a sign reading 'MilanoUnica' in the background.

Italian wool is starting to go out of fashion

From our partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, reporter Dany Mitzman takes a look at the knock-on effects of fast fashion on Italy’s wool industry.

DW
Updated:
DMDany Mitzman
6:22

Passersby look at sheep placed in Via Montenapoleone to open the “Wool Week” Fashion event, in Milan, Italy, Sept. 8, 2015.

Luca Bruno/AP/File photo

For generations, wool was a trusty European staple. But with the rise — and continued rise — of cheap synthetic materials, wool is being pushed out.

The knock-on effect has been that wool has gone from being a valuable resource to a waste by-product for cheese and meat-producing sheep farmers.

Reporter Dany Mitzman, from our partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, has the story.

Click on the player to hear the full story.