Fashion is made up of ever-changing trends, but one movement that needs to stand the test of time is the move towards animal-friendly fashion. Every year, over five billion animals are exploited and used in the fashion industry. Given the horrific suffering involved and the readily available animal-friendly alternatives, this is indefensible.  

Animal-derived materials (ADMs) are associated with extremely poor animal welfare. Wild animals, such as foxes, mink and raccoon dogs are confined to barren wire cages for their fur, while lambs bred for merino wool have slices of flesh cut off with little pain relief, and geese and ducks are subjected to brutal live plucking for their feathers. The practices involved with producing ADMs can cause extreme suffering and pain to sentient beings.  

Not only does the production of ADMs cause the suffering and death of billions of animals each year, but it also contributes to climate change, pollution, land devastation and water contamination. Material production is responsible for up to 40% of the fashion industry’s carbon emissions, with ADMs having a higher environmental impact than any other type of material. 

In our new report A Fashion Disaster: how UK supermarkets are failing animals, we reveal that the four major supermarket fashion brands - F&F by Tesco, George by ASDA, Nutmeg by Morrisons and Tu by Sainsbury’s – are failing to address some of the most serious animal welfare issues within the fashion industry. With weak animal welfare policies, a lack of certification schemes and concerns about future sourcing practices, it seems that welfare concerns within their textile supply chains aren’t of importance to most of these supermarket fashion brands. 

Over 80% of people globally want to see fashion companies reduce the use of ADMs and move towards animal-friendly alternatives. But this message does not seem to be landing with to the large supermarket fashion brands. Whilst supermarket fashion offers an affordable and convenient option, these brands appear to be compromising animal welfare for the pursuit of inexpensive clothing. 

We cannot risk a race to the bottom for animal and environmental wellbeing. Material choice by brands plays a key role in whether cruel practices such as live plucking and mulesing continue, or whether ADMs are replaced with animal free alternatives. 

By signing our new petition, you can tell supermarkets that the suffering of sentient beings is not on trend, and that they must improve the animal welfare standards in their textiles policy to ensure better treatment for the animals in their supply chains.