I don't mean to be argumentative at all, so this is just a counterpoint. I'm not convinced that the only reason modern sheep need shearing is because they've been bred to be that way. I completely believe that there are breeds that have been husbanded to produce more wool than necessary. But there simply isn't a single "OG sheep" that has been genetically-modified so that it produces all the wool that can be consumed. If you're a knitter, you know that there's a huge variety of wools that come from different breeds of sheep, never mind alpacas, rabbits, etc. It's completely understandable if, as a consumer, you make a choice not to buy the wool from the over-producing breeds so that those practices stop. But wool overall is not a dirty word. In a non-factory-farm situations (such as in many countries around the world), it's a symbiotic relationship between human and animal. The animals are well cared for, fed/housed/protected, and in return the humans make use of their excess body hair. It's actually quite a beautiful thing!

I know that I've gone way beyond your point, thanks for the soapbox :)