News 19th June 2018 by Helen O'Neill

Here’s Why ASOS Will No Longer Be Selling Cashmere, Silk, Mohair Or Feathers

The retailer has been praised by PETA.

The fashion industry is taking a stance against animal cruelty and ASOS is that latest fashion retailer to get on board.

The retailer has decided to ban the sale of all silk, cashmere, mohair and feather products on the site by the end of January 2019.

ASOS is joining 140 other brands, such as M&S, Topshop and H&M, who have banned the use of mohair after PETA released a video exposé of mohair production in South Africa earlier this year.

South Africa is the predominant source of mohair for the international fashion industry, with 50% of the world’s mohair coming from the region.

Each year, the mohair, cashmere, down and silk industries exploit countless goats, geese, ducks and silkworms, causing the sentient beings unnecessary pain and suffering. Now, people are a lot more conscious about where their clothing is coming from and its ethical background.

PETA has praised ASOS for their decision to cut these animal products.

PETA applauds ASOS for leading the charge for compassion in fashion. In response to PETA’s campaigns, consumers are changing the face of the industry by demanding that designers and retailers ditch animal-derived materials in favour of cruelty-free alternatives that look great without causing suffering.”

“ASOS firmly believes it is not acceptable for animals to suffer in the name of fashion or cosmetics,” its animal welfare policy reads on the website.

“ASOS is committed to working with industry expert groups to support the ongoing research, development and implementation of animal welfare standards and transparency in the leather supply chain.”

While mohair has been abolished by many fashion retailers now, silk, cashmere and feathers are being banned by ASOS too. The production of silk, for example, kills 6,600 silkworms (through boiling or gassing them alive whilst in their cocoons) just to make one kilogram of silk.
Cashmere goats are frequently shorn in midwinter despite needing their coats to protect them from the cold, meaning that many die as a result of this exposure, whilst young goats with defects are slaughtered.
Other retailers in the past have taken a stance against use of materials which contribute to animal cruelty. Arcadia – which owns Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins – stated that it would no longer place orders for mohair this year. Gap will stop selling mohair garments by next spring, while Inditex, which owns Zara, says it is will stop sourcing new products containing mohair by 2020.
Last year, Italian fashion powerhouse Gucci, announced that it would no longer be using fur. This was a huge step for the brand as for decades they had made everything from kangaroo-fur loafers to sealskin coats. Yet fashion designers Fendi, Dior, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Canada Goose and Karl Lagerfeld continue to use fur in their products.
Fashion magazines such as Vogue UK, Elle and Cosmopolitan all refuse to use real fur in their fashion shoots.
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