Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS has added animal welfare ratings for 35 new international textile brands for fashion items, to help shoppers identify brands that prioritise animal welfare, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Currently, FOUR PAWS has rated a total of over 256 international fashion brands regarding four priority animal welfare issues: their ambition to refine and replace the usage of wool and down, the ban on fur and the overall reduction of ADMs.
The ratings are available on the Wear it Kind Brand Directory, which aims to help make purchasing decisions before and during the festive season, as well as informing customers about kinder fashion choices and urging brands to step up their commitments to more animal welfare in their supply chains.
‘For many the upcoming holidays are a time of gifting, offering an opportunity to support animal welfare through our purchasing choices. Every one of us can help to protect the billions of sheep used for wool, geese plucked for down, and mink suffering and being killed for their fur by making kinder shopping choices,’ said Ranny Rustam, Textiles Lead Researcher at FOUR PAWS.
‘When family, friends and pets gather for celebration and joy, no harmful gifting should disturb this peaceful time together. We call on all gifters to dress up the fashion game and choose animal-friendly over cruel fashion this holiday’, Rustam added.
The directory has revealed that more and more international fashion brands have started to stand up for animal welfare, with the strongest indication being the ‘clear rejection’ of fur.
Of the brands, 82% have already dropped the usage of fur.
The renunciation of live lamb cut wool has now also become more and more common, with 67% of all companies claiming that they will ditch cruel wool by 2030.
The assessment also found that 13% of the brands are leaders in ethical wool sourcing, which includes Kings of Indigo (NL), Löffler (AT) and Stella McCartney (UK), which already exclusively source wool free from live lamb cutting.
However, in other areas, less progress has been made: The phase-out of live plucking for down is establishing itself rather slowly, with only 10% of brands properly mitigating this issue.
Of the total 256 manufacturers, 229 still use down, although almost half (47%) of them already use certified down.
‘Most animals used in the fashion industry live only a fraction of their natural lifespan, with many suffering unnecessary pain, fear and stress due to cruel mutilation practices and inadequate living conditions for the sake of clothing,’ said Rustam.
‘We need to give those sentient beings a break. That’s why FOUR PAWS is calling for people to make kinder choices for animals this festive season and for all seasons,’ Rustam added.
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Picture: Supplied
