Aussie Wool Industry drops PETA lawsuit as endorsed by Marc Bouwer
As we reported earlier today designer Marc Bouwer made a decision last year to boycot Australian Wool in protest against the cruel conditions merino sheep are kept in. But it seems his stance has had a much wider impact than just proving celeb fashion can be cruelty free, as it has emerged that the wool industry has responded with a major U-turn.
Earlier this week the industry group Australian Wool Innovation dropped their lawsuit against PETA's global boycott, as supported by Bouwer. It will instead pledge several changes including fast-tracking genetic alternatives to a practice known as mulesing which many consider to be cruel."[This is] a clear lesson to other industries that it is extremely unwise to try to silence their critics by using heavy-handed litigation, rather than sensible dialogue,” said PETA's lawyer Fraser Shepherd.
Marc Bouwer's 100% animal-free (doesn't use fur, leather or wool) collection 'Imitation Is Life' premiered earlier this year at New York Fashion Week. Fashion retailers also in support of the move away from Australian wool include Abercrombie & Fitch, New Look, George and the late Liz Claiborne. [source/Getty; Via Catwalk Queen]
Related: Ethical fashion gets glamorous with Marc bouwer
Wow, I'll have to admit I had never heard of mulesing before, but it sounds quite terrible. Kudos to Marc Bouwer for starting the change! If only there were more influential people willing to do the same.
And while I'm here...
I might as well share some cool info with you. ^^ I'm working for a small non-profit called Sustainable Harvest International. They work with farmers in Central America and teach them sustainable, organic forms of farming to help stop slash and burn, thereby saving rainforests, and making the farmers and their families economically independent. It seems way better to me to do things this way than to just go in and try to plant trees somewhere. Find sources of forest destruction, and instead of trying to halt it, find better solutions!
Anyway, if you want to read more information about SHI...
www.sustainableharvest.org
Oh! And we're also being featured on Stonyfield yogurt lids. Stonyfield is donating $40,000 to three non-profits based on voting, so if you want to help some forests out, you can vote here:
http://www.stonyfield.com/specia...BidWithYourLid/
Plus, you can get a coupon for a free cup of yogurt online, and then use that to mail in and vote and get free prizes.
Posted by: Jessica Schessler | July 6, 2007 4:08 PM