Four Paws: 400 fashion brands agree to oppose mulesing

Global animal welfare organisation Four Paws has reported that 400 international fashion brands have publicly stated their opposition to mulesing, a process in which strips of wool-bearing skin are removed from sheep.

The nonprofit released the names of the brands via an open letter – ‘Brand Letter of Intent’ – which was initiated to call on the Australian wool industry and global wool supply chains to put an end to the practice.

Brands who had signed the letter do not want mulesed wool and are already certified mulesing-free or intend to be by 2030, according to Four Paws.

Among those that have signed are the likes of Adidas, Calida and Esprit, each of which have contributed to what began as 100 brands and has grown to 400 over the last three years.

In a release, Rebecca Picallo Gil, head of the end mulesing campaign at Four Paws, said: “Together with global fashion brands and consumers we call upon global wool supply chains to go mulesing-free and support producers to transition towards flystrike resistant sheep by 2030.

“Good breeding choices and management can simultaneously end reliance on mulesing, as well as achieve results in higher lamb and ewe survival, better pasture conversion which is also good for the environment and overall healthier sheep contributing to an economical benefit, as witnessed by many Australian wool growers.”