The US sporting goods giant Nike has followed its own motto (“Just Do It”) and simply done it, namely decided to forgo painful wool.
This is what wool is called, where in the so-called “mulesing” two to ten-week-old lambs are cut off skin strips on the rear part and the tail, often without any anesthesia or painkillers. The resulting pain, shock and stress for the lambs is so great that many grow more slowly and are at risk of dying.
Animal welfare organization Four Paws – or Four Paws as it’s internationally known – announced the influential company’s move on Wednesday, which they hope will inspire others.
Nike will follow the Responsible Wool Standard
Accordingly, Nike has changed its CSR policy and committed to complying with the certified Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) in its product range, which the animal welfare organization calls a “groundbreaking moment” and “major milestone”.
This has been campaigning against the cruel process for years and directed a campaign directly at Nike in 2022. More than 80,000 sports enthusiasts called on the sportswear manufacturer to follow in the footsteps of Adidas and Puma, which have already opted for certified wool in the past.
“Congratulations to Nike on this important commitment that will benefit millions of lambs. With the start of the mulesing season looming in Australia, this news comes at a crucial time and sends a strong signal to wool producers that Nike is an influential brand with the potential to inspire the entire apparel market. This victory was only possible with the help of tens of thousands of supporters who joined Four Paws in fighting for better animal welfare in the sportswear market,” said Rebecca Picallo Gil, Wool Campaign Manager at Four Paws, in a statement.
According to Four Paws, more than 350 brands and retailers are now opposed to mulesing, including Aldi, Asics, Asos, Bestseller, C&A, Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Inditex, Kik, Kmart, Otto Group, Primark, Tchibo, Tesco, and Uniqlo Zalando.