Animal welfare

Despite representing just 0.01% of all life, humans use around five billion animals for fashion products each year, often with minimal oversight of their treatment and conditions. Harmful practices such as mulesing—painful skin removal without anesthesia—intensive confinement in cramped spaces, and the cruel plucking of down feathers highlight significant welfare issues within the industry. These issues are not inherent to animal-derived materials but result from poor oversight in intensive farming systems.

In response to increasing consumer awareness of welfare issues and environmental impact, brands are implementing several strategies to improve animal welfare. Establishing an animal welfare policy that outlines clear expectations for animal treatment within the supply chain is crucial. Setting stringent requirements for sourcing animal-derived materials and ensuring transparency about their use are also important steps. Certifications like LIA’s Animal Welfare Standards Benchmark can help uphold higher standards of animal treatment.