Italian fashion brand, Benetton Group, announced its decision to stop using angora wool in all of its collections sold globally.
“Our garments are manufactured with the utmost respect for the welfare of nature, people and animals,” the company said in a statement. “Regarding angora wool in particular, and as per our Code of Conduct, we have always followed particularly stringent guidelines to guarantee the use of only ethically-sourced materials.”
Benetton is the latest company to ban angora wool after a campaign by animal rights organization PETA.
In 2013, after investigating 10 angora farms in China, PETA released graphic footage of fur being ripped from live rabbits in order to ensure the angora was as thick and long as possible. The footage also showed the rabbits screaming in pain while their front and back paws were tied. After being plucked, the rabbits were pushed back into their cages, bleeding.
Benetton has already stopped using angora in its production and once its current inventory is sold, no more angora products will be available in stores.
Other fashion brands that have since banned the use of the fiber include Inditex, the parent company of Zara, Marks & Spencer, Topshop, Primark and H&M.