Esprit and New Look join ban on angora

Fashion brand Esprit has become the latest retailer to stop sourcing angora wool in all

of its products with immediate effect, following an investigation by animal rights group Peta exposed the “shocking” industry.

“As long as the industry lacks credible certification and proof that it complies with according policies on animal welfare, Esprit imposes a ban on Angora wool,” said Charles Dickinson, head of global quality management & sustainability for Esprit.

Dickinson added: “Esprit does not accept methods such as live plucking within its production - neither on geese, ducks or on rabbits. We also believe that it is the brand’s responsibility to maintain a compliant supply chain and to take appropriate action if one of the stakeholders fails to adhere to the standards.”

The fashion brand also stated that it would continue its ban on the sourcing of Angora wool until “control and transparency” can be obtained in the Angora wool supply chain, and that it would be undertakes “extensive investigation” of credible and certifiable Angora farms and in parallel research alternative materials.

High street retailer New Look also confirmed a ban on angora products. The company said that while it has not identified its suppliers’ angora farms as being party to the abuses, it has put its angora production on immediate hold as a precautionary measure.

“Beyond our present stocks and consignments in transit, we have paused our angora production and will only continue when we are 100 percent happy with welfare standards,” the company said in a statement.

Last week, fashion chain H&M announced it would be banning the use of angora in all of its products, after video footage taken by Peta in China showed workers at farms tearing off clumps of fur by hand while the animals screamed in pain.