14 DAY TRIAL // PETA’s anti-meat consumption campaigns seldom hit the spot and manage to “convert” people to veganism. The organization’s latest anti-fur initiative, on the other hand, has snowballed into a global movement against angora rabbit farms.
Just days after H&M went public with the news that, after watching shocking undercover footage shot at one such farm in China, it was to halt angora fur production for an indefinite period, fashion brands New Look and Esprit made the very same announcement, and for the same reasons.
As reported, the footage shot by undercover PETA investigators showed rabbits screaming in pain as factory workers ripped the fur off their bodies.
On its website, PETA details that, just days after the video hit the public eye, both Esprit and New look said that they were very much concerned about animal welfare, and that they would stop making angora fur products until thorough investigations confirmed that their suppliers treated rabbits in a humane way.
“We have taken action and put our angora production on immediate hold,” New Look reportedly said in a statement.
“As long as the industry lacks credible certification and proof that it complies with according policies on animal welfare, Esprit imposes a ban on Angora wool,” Esprit added.
According to PETA, several other companies, i.e. Acne, Lindex, MQ and Gina Tricot have also agreed to suspend angora fur production for as long as it takes to verify that their suppliers do not abuse animals.
The organization hopes that, in time, these fashion brands, maybe even others, will agree to pull the plug on angora fur production altogether, and not just temporarily.
“We’d like to say a big thanks to all these companies for listening to consumers. The next step is for them to commit to a full and permanent ban on angora products,” PETA says.
“Fortunately, plenty of cosy, super-soft alternatives to animal-derived fabrics are widely available on the high street,” it adds.