Climate change has rammed the wool industry hard this year, with more than 20% of sheep now out of work following a devastating trough in market demand for knitwear.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), temperatures this year have remained at unprecedentedly high levels, with warm sunny days extending to the end of May, leading to a jumper surplus.
Fashion retailers are hesitant to order new woollen styles as Sydneysiders continue to endure sunburn and beachside parking fines well into May.
This has led to layoffs by all major wool manufacturers which has left thousands of able- fleeced sheep out of work.
The state of affairs has been called “absolutely outrageous” by the Agricultural Beasts Union, who condemned the manufacturers for not doing more to protect their workers.
Many of these workers have been producers for generations.
