H&M faces renewed pressure over mohair use following PETA investigation

Angora goat. Image for illustration. Credits: Pexels. Swedish retail giant H&M is facing a renewed call to ban mohair following a new investigation into Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) farms that claims to have found evidence of animal cruelty. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has submitted a shareholder resolution to H&M requesting the retailer to reinstate a policy to ban the material that it implemented in 2018 before reversing the decision in 2020. H&M reserved ban on mohair in 2020 The animal welfare organisation said that it has renewed pressure following a “damning” new investigation by its Asian arm into RMS-certified farms, including a site that supplies South African agriculture company BKB Ltd., a partner of H&M. According to PETA Asia, evidence of animal cruelty against goats sheared for the raw material was brought to light in its investigation. The organisation outlined allegations of workers beating animals and, in some cases, wounding them. As a result, PETA is amping up pressure on H&M, which had originally initiated a mohair ban in 2018 following a prior PETA exposé on South African farms. The retailer then reintroduced the material to its production in 2020 under RMS, a certification launched by Textile Exchange that strives to verify and identify mohair produced on farms that respect animal welfare and the environment. PETA continues to challenge Textile Exchange certifications Despite such claims, PETA has continued to challenge Textile Exchange’s certifications over the years, particularly its Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), which the organisation…

Continue reading →