PETA Global 2018 Issue 1

“Look at what PETA did to angora.

Yellow tag: © iStock.com/Rinek

They virtually wiped it out.” – Top fashion industry executive

They were the screams heard ’round the world ...

Numerous companies communicated with PETA and swore off down, including Coleman, the world’s leading outdoor-gear manufacturer, as well as ASOS, Dr. Martens, Miss Selfridge, Napapijri, Topman, Topshop, and many others. Not only did FatFace stop using down, it also created window displays telling consumers why – effective exhibits that look as if they could have been created by animal rights activists.

Crate & Barrel, The Land of Nod, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, West Elm, and others – are now offering cruelty-free alternatives to nearly every down item. The list of compassionate brands keeps growing. Take Action Now Never buy anything made from animal exploitation – including angora, cashmere, down, mohair, shearling, silk, and wool. Visit PETA.org/ClothingGuide to find a list of animal-friendly retailers.

Most angora comes from rabbits on Chinese factory farms, and PETA Asia’s eyewitness footage from inside the facilities – showing angora rabbits screaming as workers tied them down and ripped their fur out – sent shock waves through the clothing industry and the marketplace. As PETA Asia’s video went viral, stunned retailers quickly agreed to meet with PETA affiliates. Most rapidly dropped angora wool from their clothing lines, including Calvin Klein, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Tommy Hilfiger, and Topshop. After talking with PETA, the world’s largest clothing retailer, Inditex, which owns Zara, not only banned angora wool but – at PETA’s request – also worked with PETA to donate almost $1 million worth of its already manufactured angora garments to Syrian refugees. If a brand hesitated, PETA members and supporters worldwide flooded the company with e-mails, which persuaded Guess, BCBG, and The Kooples to make the compassionate choice. Now, more than 300 major retailers have banned all angora – and the number keeps climbing. Whenever PETA pulls back the curtain on the animal-exploiting industries that no one else is talking about, the resulting worldwide outrage brings about significant changes. Down and Out Rabbits are not alone in being tortured for clothing. PETA and PETA Asia’s investigation into farms that produce down feathers revealed that workers immobilize geese and violently tear out their feathers by the fistful – and, once again, retailers were shocked into taking action.

FatFace’s window display is for the birds

Who Wants 'Sustainable' Animal Abuse?

Angora, down, fur, leather, and wool are only “natural” when they’re on their rightful, original owner. To keep animal skins from rotting, processing plants soak them in a soup of toxic substances – including formaldehyde, ammonia, and cyanide based chemicals –

Marriott Hotels, the largest hotelier in the world, has cut its down usage by 50%, and two of its brands – Moxy and AC hotels – have gone down-free. PETAwill continue working until this product of cruelty is gone. Better Than Feathers The North Face’s innovative down alternative ThermoBall was such a success that the company launched its next iteration of down alternatives, called Ventrix, which is featured prominently in stores as “the next evolution of synthetic-insulation technology.” And Patagonia tells shoppers that its down alternative PlumaFill provides the best warmth-to-weight ratio that it has “ever achieved – down or synthetic.” Cruelty-free outerwear brand Save The Duck’s coats are made exclusively with Plumtech, high-density fibers produced from recycled polyester. Home goods retailers – including

which can pollute the surrounding water and air. And raising animals for leather requires vast amounts of land, water, grain, and energy. Don’t be fooled: The only truly sustainable clothing is animal-free.

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