Teko is claiming to be the first to make socks using truly sustainable wool. Beginning in Fall 2005 Teko will be adding EcoMerino wool to their line of wool socks. The EcoMerino wool is a perfect fit with Teko’s “No Compromise” commitment to sustainability. This high quality wool is produced in Tasmania exclusively at Downie-Dungrove farm, a holistically sustainable farm.

Teko follows a core concept of sustainability: Triple-Bottom line accounting. This is maintaining one’s economic, environmental and social value or People, Planet, and Profit. Teko’s EcoMerino wool is groundbreaking in that Teko has a chain of custody from the farm to the sales rack. Using a sustainable farm and then tracking the wool throughout the production supply chain allows Teko to declare its wool sustainable.

Downie-Dungrove farms have been practicing holistically sustainable techniques for over 150 years. As a sustainable farm, they have only as many sheep as the land can naturally sustain. Their herd management is designed to replicate natural migration patterns of buffalo and other herding animals. This allows the land and natural vegetation to perpetually maintain itself without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Considering more than sheep, Downie-Dungrove is also working with the World Wildlife Fund and Green Peace to certify its sustainable timber harvesting practices.

As proof to these farmers sustainable success, studies have shown that native grass lands grazed by sheep land have a greater density of certain native plants and species than neighboring, ungrazed Tasmanian land. Beyond the farm, Teko tracks the combing, washing, and dying the wool to ensure that EcoMerino wool leaves the smallest environmental footprint.

Teko said, “sustainable practices are only effective when high quality standards are meshed with environmental awareness. As is being shown in other international industries, such as auto, construction, and agriculture, implementing sustainable practices will be essential to the future success of any company. Teko hopes to be a leader in setting new standards in the outdoor industry, via materials such as EcoMerino™ wool, in turn creating a more sustainable trade.”

The company stated, “Teko believes that true sustainability works within both social and ecological structures. Whether desired or not, we cannot deny the interconnection between social and environmental concerns. It is about more than creating a quality product; it is about leaving a positive impact on the world around you.”