Harry Potter Knitwear Firm Bans Cashmere Following PETA US Appeal
Following discussions with PETA US, Lochaven of Scotland – a Scottish knitwear company and the original supplier of the Hogwarts uniforms worn in the Harry Potter film series – has just banned cashmere.
A recent PETA Asia eyewitness investigation conducted on cashmere farms and in slaughterhouses in China and Mongolia – the two countries responsible for 90% of the world’s cashmere production – showed workers pinning down crying goats as their legs were bent and their hair was torn out with sharp metal combs.
In China, goats deemed no longer profitable were slaughtered after workers hit them on the head with a hammer in an attempt to stun them. And in Mongolia, workers dragged them by one leg onto the slaughterhouse floor before slitting their throats. Some animals were recorded moving for minutes afterwards.
Lochaven has just stood up to cruelty to animals in a huge way. PETA affiliates are urging all other clothing companies to follow its compassionate, business-savvy lead and go cashmere-free.
In addition to banning cashmere, Lochaven is offering several new items made with all-vegan, synthetic fibres and has reduced the wool content of certain popular items.
While cashmere has the highest environmental impact of any animal-derived fibre, widely available vegan options – such as bamboo, Tencel, hemp, modal, viscose, organic cotton, and soya cashmere (which is a waste by-product of the production of soya foods) – are warm, stylish, and eco-friendly.
What You Can Do
Ditch cashmere in favour of high-performing animal-free fibres, and pledge never to wear the skin, fur, or wool of a cow, snake, alligator, seal, rabbit, sheep, goat, or any other animal.
