Down feathers that go out on their own from ducks or geese and are picked up to be stuffed into puffer jackets or blankets, sheep that are shorn in peace and are happy to get rid of their “burden” – these are unfortunately all myths, consumers may have in mind when purchasing products containing materials of animal origin. However, the reality is different and the fact is that animals are exposed to cruelty as soon as they commercialized become.
Animal welfare organization Four Paws (Four Paws in Germany) has released a shopping guide for those who want to make sure their Christmas presents are more kind-hearted and don’t harm animals. But winter items in particular often contain (hidden) materials of animal origin.
“When it gets colder outside again, many people stock up on new warm winter clothing. The main components of hats, sweaters and jackets are often animal materials such as wool, down or fur,” says the animal protection organization. She presents animal-friendly alternatives.
Wool
Sheep wool is one of the most commonly used animal materials in the fashion industry. Due to its versatile properties, Merino wool is used not only for winter clothing, but also for sports and outdoor clothing, suits or even cloth diapers.
However, the main problem is this Mulesing, a procedure in which a piece of a lamb’s tail and rump is cut off (often without anesthesia). This is intended to prevent blowfly infestation, but there are better and painless methods.
More than 400 international clothing brands have now spoken out against mulesing and Four Paws advises consumers to be well informed before buying wool and to look for certification seals such as the Responsible Wool Standard, Nativa or ZQ Merino. This also applies to mohair and cashmerewhich now have their own standards.
down
Goose or duck down is used for puffer jackets, outdoor clothing, blankets and similar products. They usually come from animals from factory farming, which in the worst case scenario are plucked alive. Even though the Responsible Down Standard exists, Four Paws is not convinced that “the current certifications can sufficiently reduce this risk due to the complexity of the supply chains” and therefore recommends consumers to avoid down completely and use alternatives.
Real fur
Fur trim is in demand for winter clothing – hats with fur pompoms, fur trim on hoods, collars, gloves or shoes are still often seen in stores. However, often behind the items labeled as faux fur there is real fur, which is cheaper. According to Four Paws, in 2022 alone, over 30 million minks, foxes and raccoon dogs were bred in overcrowded battery cages on fur farms and killed for their fur. “Many more species die in captivity or are killed in traps every year for their fur,” says the animal protection organization.
Many fashion brands and retailers have now joined the international “Fur Free Retailer Program”. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), the most successful in the area of animal protection and the third most successful overall according to Four Paws, is calling for a ban on fur farms and fur sales. To date, 20 Member States have introduced legal restrictions on fur farming.
Four Paws advises: Stay away from fur as it cannot be produced in an animal-friendly manner. The argument that animal skins are a by-product of the food industry doesn’t make things any better – the animals always have to suffer, regardless of which industry exploits them.
Alternatives
Four Paws advises consumers who do not want to miss out on the versatile properties of wool, down and fur to consider alternatives of plant origin, which can compete with animal products, especially in the down sector. This is where they stand out in particular PrimaLoft, Tencel LyocellFlwerdown or kapok – a hollow fiber obtained from the shells of the tropical kapok tree.
Wool lovers can try products made from organic cotton, which is made without harmful synthetic chemicals or additives. Tencel Lyocell made from wood pulp is also recommended here, as are innovative next-generation materials, such as a mixture of coconut and hemp waste (e.g Spinnova) or from the Calotropis plant and regenerative cotton (e.g. Weganwool).
According to Four Paws, good alternatives to fur are hemp or BioFluff. In addition, SpiberInc company’s latest innovation can produce fur and wool materials by producing brewed protein staple fibers created through a fermentation process.
“Remember that the best way to avoid animal cruelty is to look for alternatives, because only plant-based alternatives can 100 percent eliminate animal suffering,” concludes the animal protection organization.
Consumers who find such alternatives too expensive should consider giving fewer but more thoughtful gifts instead of several financially cheaper (but animal suffering-prone) products and also explaining their choice. After all, who doesn’t want to be surprised with well-thought-out gifts, even if they may be smaller in quantity, but last longer and were not made at someone else’s expense?