Baaad move? Fashion seller rolls back on banning wool

FASHION retailer Boohoo has abandoned a pledge to ban wool from its clothes following a backlash from farmers.

The online store had announced the move after pressure from animal welfare campaigners.

However, farmers argued that shearing is not cruel – and is in fact vital to keep sheep healthy.

Boohoo announced its U-turn in a statement yesterday. It said: ‘Boohoo continues to assess all options as part of its ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future.

‘We are committed to ensuring the wool used in our supply chain comes from good husbandry and meets high levels of animal welfare, and will continue to use wool as a sustainable material.’

The Irish Daily Mail told on Saturday how Boohoo had announced the plans to ‘omit wool from its product range effective from the autumnwinter season’. It followed lobbying by vegan group Peta, which claims the process of shearing can involve cruelty and rough handling of the animals. But farmers pointed out that removing fleeces stops sheep from overheating and protects them from parasite infestations.

The National Sheep Association in the UK said: ‘Wool is not a cruelly sourced product. In the vast majority of cases, sheep are handled with care when shorn, and are shorn for health and comfort reasons.’