PETA has purchased stocks at nearly a dozen fashion and apparel companies in the hopes of pushing those brands to ban wool, mohair and cashmere, specifically.
The names in this round of purchases include some of the biggest apparel companies in the US, as well as a few abroad: Ralph Lauren, Urban Outfitters, Guess, Burberry, Chico's, Express, J. Jill, Deckers Outdoor Corporation (parent company of UGG); Tapestry, Inc. (parent company of Coach NY, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman), Aritzia, Lands' End, Capri Holdings (parent company of Michael Kors and Versace), Target, Under Armour, Kering SA (parent company of Gucci, Saint Laurent and others) and Qurate Retail Group (parent company of QVC/Home Shopping Network).
The organisation has released 13 exposés to date depicting how harmful the shearing process can be to sheep and goats, despite brands' efforts to source from ethical suppliers. PETA argues that in addition to the animal cruelty factor, wool production can be harmful to the environment. A rep for the organisation points out that in many cases goats must consume massive amounts of grass or feed, creating soil degradation or using up land that could otherwise be used to grow crops to feed humans.
