How we can support local sheep farmers
More than half a million sheep live in southern Germany. However, their wool leads a shadowy existence on the global market. With our new METAWOOL insulation line, we want to help domestic wool production find its way out of the crisis. And ensure that the work of shepherds like Martin Brickel is rewarded anew.
Fifth-generation sheepherder
One wonders whether the profession found him or vice versa. They seem to be such a perfect match. With his shepherd's crook, wide-brimmed felt hat, sturdy clothing, and confident gait, Martin Brickel is a fifth-generation sheep farmer, grazer, and shepherd.
Seven hundred Merino sheep wait audibly for him when he goes out to the meadows near Thalmässing, in the Franconian Jura about 20 kilometers south of Nuremberg. They crowd around him familiarly when he opens the fence of their pen to herd them to the open pasture until early evening. He is, in a sense, their lead sheep, he says. Mohrle, an Old German Shepherd Dog, helps him keep the flock together.
Rough, calm, content
Every day, all year round, Martin is outdoors alone with the sheep. Except for two winter months, when he looks after them in the barn. His job is tough, but peaceful. The man in his mid-thirties doesn't mind that he has little free time and can't take any vacation. “Why live beyond your means for four weeks and then spend the rest of the year annoyed that everyday life actually makes you unhappy?” he muses.
Working outside slows him down enough. The animals' contentment is his real goal: “The sheep are grateful when they are happy. You can really see it in their expressions when they slowly trot back to their pen in the evening. They seem to think, ‘Today was nice, we're doing well.’”
Wool in crisis
And how is he doing? Is being a shepherd worthwhile? Many people don't know that sheep farmers make their living primarily from landscape conservation, in addition to breeding lambs. A good dozen villages benefit from Martin's flock grazing on communal pastures and protecting valuable biotopes from scrub encroachment. At the same time, the animals fertilize the fields and transport insects and plant seeds from one meadow to the next. This keeps the terrain more diverse and interesting—and thus more attractive for nature-loving tourists.
This source of income is all the more important for Martin given that domestic wool production is in crisis. The reason: the fleece of German Merino sheep has always been more rain-resistant and therefore somewhat coarser than that of their relatives in warmer regions: a hair measures an average of 27 micrometers (0.027 millimeters) in diameter, compared to 21 for wool from Australia or New Zealand. This difference is noticeable on the skin. Textile companies have therefore long preferred the softer merino fibers from overseas. Instead, raw wool from southern Germany went to China and India, where it was mixed with textile wool or used for carpets. But after a hype in the 2010s, prices collapsed so sharply that Martin and his colleagues were ultimately unable to sell anything at all.
The shepherds take action
A genuine natural product, bred over generations, and no use for it? For Martin, this was unacceptable. His sheep produce 2.5 tons of wool every year, 3 to 3.5 kilograms per animal. At current prices, he couldn't even cover the cost of shearing. That's why he teamed up with other members of the wool producers' associations in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg—with support from Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences—to start their own brand.
The idea behind Locwool, short for “local wool,” is revealed in the name itself. “We wanted to get out of the anonymous global market and become visible again to local people,” explains Martin, summarizing the message to the market: “Buy from us and you know that the sheep are well cared for. On top of that, you are supporting the preservation of our cultural landscapes.”
Partnership for innovation
Fifty breeders in Bavaria and 40 in Baden-Württemberg are part of the initiative. Their white treasure has already been turned into fertilizer pellets, weed barrier fabric, acoustic panels, and insulation material. For Martin, these are compromises. If it were up to him, the wool would stay on the animals.
ORTOVOX shares this view. And found the perfect partner for its new METAWOOL insulation line in Locwool: a merino padding for the second layer that regulates temperature in both directions, quickly wicks away moisture, and reduces odors. The natural fiber from southern Germany impressed with its excellent thermal performance, but also because its production is covered by the German Animal Welfare Act, one of the strictest in the world.
Direct contact, fair prices
Transparent approach, no additional land use, short transport routes, no chlorine in the wool, no mulesing. The list of benefits for people and the environment is long. ORTOVOX particularly values its direct contact with the shepherds. The decision to use Locwool is a conscious effort to support and value local wool production. Fair prices for producers are the most important step in this process.
“Until now, we've been losing money. With ORTOVOX, we're back to breaking even,” says Schäfer Martin, delighted with the partnership. His commitment to Locwool has paid off. But further growth is needed: “We do this on a voluntary basis, between the barn and the pasture. We actually need a full-time position.” At least, with ORTOVOX, his wool is back where it belongs. As a warming layer on the body.
METAWOOL by ORTOVOX for women & men
Locally sourced merino wool, engineered for high-performance insulation: METAWOOL jackets deliver natural climate control and comfort — ready for every mountain challenge.
