In signing the Four Paws letter, Mango joins more than 90 international fashion brands and retailers such as Adidas, Zara, Patagonia and Kathmandu that have agreed to eliminate mulesing from their supply chains.
Over 80% of superfine Merino wool for the global fashion market comes from Australia – the only country in the world where live lamb cutting (mulesing) is legal.
Four Paws says the 'Brand Letter of Intent' is a strong signal to the Australian wool industry and global wool supply chains that live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing) must become a thing of the past.
“After three years of intense talks, we applaud Mango’s decision to ban the cruel mutilation of lambs and call on Australia, by far the biggest wool producer for clothing, to do the same.
“The shift towards more animal welfare for such a key player in the fast fashion sector is also a signal for other competitors to follow suit. The Australian wool industry can no longer ignore the sheer number of brands supporting this global movement. It must finally put an end to this outdated and extremely painful procedure for Merino lambs and transition towards pain-free alternatives, said Rebecca Picallo Gil, wool campaign lead at Four Paws.
Mango had not responded to Just Style's request for comment at the time of going to press.
The legislation, made under the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Act makes the surgical removal of a sheep’s breach, tail skin folds or tail skin wrinkles a criminal offense.
