A YouGov poll revealed gaps between rising consumer demand and lagging brand practices:

• 27% of consumers avoid animal-based fashion
• Only 4% of rated brands publish commitments to reduce their use of animal derived materials
• Around five billion animals at risk of suffering for fashion
• 36% of shoppers will choose one brand over another if it prioritises animal welfare
• Four-fifths (79%) of UK adults say that fashion brands should be responsible for assuring animal welfare standards are upheld throughout their supply chains

FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organisation, has today released its Wear It Kind Directory which compiles results for the reduction and refinement of Animal Derived Materials (ADMs) of over 200 international fashion brands. The directory highlights that approximately five billion animals are at risk of severe suffering for fashion, either due to routine mutilations and poor husbandry, or being killed directly for products made of fur.  

The Wear It Kind Directory is a digital database that will allow consumers to better understand fashion brands commitments and progress across four key animal welfare areas within their fashion supply chains: the use and avoidance of live lamb cutting (mulesing) in wool supply chains, live plucking in down and feather supply chains, the use of fur and the reduction of animal-derived materials (ADMs) overall.  

Although positive progress has been made by many brands such as Patagonia and Stella McCartney, the road to more kindness in fashion is still a long one.  

The ratings found that 61% of brands must do more to credibly exclude the use of live-plucked feathers, as one example. Over a third of shoppers (36%) said they will choose one brand over the other if it prioritises animal welfare. The FOUR PAWS Directory aims to empower consumers to understand how fashion brands perform on animal welfare and encourages companies to urgently step up their animal welfare commitments.  

In parallel, a new global YouGov poll, commissioned by FOUR PAWS shows over a quarter of people (27%) now avoid animal-based fashion, while only four per cent of rated fashion brands have published clear reduction commitments for animal-derived materials (ADMs).  

In April 2024 the poll of almost 11,000 shoppers in twelve countries*, showed that a vast majority of people are concerned about the treatment of animals in global fashion production. Of highest (82%) concern is focused on the use of fur, followed by down feather (59%) and wool (33%).  

Fur accounts for one of the cruellest ADMs with foxes, raccoons and other wild animals permanently confined, and brutally slaughtered. The new Wear It Kind Directory shows four out of five brands (82%) have already publicly banned fur, however there are many brands who are yet to make a public statement on this issue, including All Saints, who have not yet publicly addressed fur use.  Additionally, UK supermarket brands, like George at ASDA and F&F clothing from Tesco scored badly in the ratings, and Burberry are a high fashion brand who need to do more to more to protect animal welfare.  

Emily Wilson, Head of Programmes  FOUR PAWS UK, said: “Consumers are increasingly concerned by the mistreatment of animals for fashion. For a growing number of people, dressing up does not mean letting animals down. The impacts of their use on the climate crisis is also becoming more widely recognised. Many animals used for textiles are ruminants, which are high emitters of greenhouse gases and require huge areas for grazing or feed. Consumers have the power to push brands forward and call for changes that end cruelty towards our fellow sentient beings, who feel pain, fear and stress. The data shows, brands must keep up to remain relevant.”

“While many companies listed within the Wear It Kind Directory have made progress towards better animal welfare, most brands have not done enough to reduce their use of animal-derived materials, despite consumer demand for animal-free fashion. This is especially concerning as animal agriculture continues to expand and intensify when it urgently needs to decline if we are to meet global animal welfare and environmental goals.” 

The Directory also closely examines how brands are mitigating the risks of live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing), the cruel procedure where palm-sized pieces of skin and flesh are cut off more than ten million lambs’ buttocks per year. Impressively over half (54%) of brands have made a timebound commitment to use only certified live lamb cut free wool, with 13% selling wool claiming to be fully certified. Leading the charge are brands such as The North Face, Icebreaker, Stella McCartney and Alchemist.

According to the poll every second adult (50%) say companies should give animal protection equal priority to environmental protection and social standards (working conditions). Over a fifth (22%) of adults said they currently seek out or purchase fashion items with animal welfare credentials, whereas more than every fourth (27%) person has decided to avoid animal-derived fashion all together.

A reduction of ADMs is not only a critical step to minimise severe animal welfare infringements, but also to address fashion’s carbon and land use footprint, as a previous report by FOUR PAWS points out. According to the YouGov poll the majority (81%) of interviewees across the planet, agree that fashion brands should reduce the use of ADMs and invest in alternatives to transition to sustainable animal-friendly material alternatives such as recycled or plant-based materials.