Mango to cut mulesing from value chain

Spanish fashion giant Mango has agreed to cut mulesing from its value chain following heightened pressure from animal welfare organisation Four Paws. The company has signed Four Paws’ Brand Letter of Intent, joining the 90 international fashion brands to have already done so.

With this, Mango has committed to only sourcing certified wool free from live lamb cutting by 2030, a decision that comes after three years of “intense talks”, Four Paws’ wool campaign lead, Rebecca Picallo Gil, said.

The Brand Letter of Intent exhibits a wider call on the Australian wool industry–which accounts for over 80 percent of Merino wool sourcing for the global fashion industry–to put a ban on mulesing, also known as live lamb cutting, a practice that is currently still legal in the country.

The term mulesing refers to the process of stripping skin and flesh from a lambs’ buttocks, typically without the use of pain relief. As an alternative, Four Paws suggests breeding plain-bodied and flystrike-resistant sheep, as well as carrying out proper management of animals, in order to transition away from live lamb cutting.

In her statement, Gil said: “The shift towards more animal welfare for such a key player in the fast fashion sector [Mango] is also a signal for other competitors to follow suit. The Australian wool industry can no longer ignore the sheer number of brands supporting this global movement. It must finally put an end to this outdated and extremely painful procedure for Merino lambs and transition towards pain-free alternatives.”