Peta launches $1m competition to find vegan wool alternative

Campaign group says industry is cruel to sheep and wool is more environmentally damaging than most synthetic fibres

It is jumper season, but your common or garden woollies may soon be a thing of the past: the animal rights group Peta has launched a competition this week to find a vegan alternative to wool that comes with a $1m (860,500) prize.

The Vegan Wool Challenge Award promises the prize money to the first person or company to develop a material that convincingly resembles sheep wool in its texture, functionality and appearance, and has a major clothing brand invest into the material.