Stores still selling angora wool after cruelty is exposed
Retailers urged to join global boycott – or face protests
ANGORA products continue to be sold in Irish stores – despite the release of a video showing rabbits being tortured in Chinese factories, earlier this month.
While a number of UK retailers have vowed to stop stocking products made with angora wool, an Irish Mail on Sunday investigation has found that some Irish retailers continue to sell angora items in the run up to Christmas.
Now, animal rights campaigners have threatened to protest outside Irish shops that have not taken the offending products off their shelves.
John Carmody, campaign coordinator for Animal Rights Action Network, has called on Irish retailers to join the global boycott of angora.
He said: ‘Irish stores need to take this seriously because I think a lot of consumers would be horrified
‘Customers should double-check labels’
to know the suffering that these gentle animals go through. This is done while the animal is conscious and they are in so much pain.
‘We are asking consumers to please double-check the labelling on their clothing.’
ARAN is compiling a list of Irish retailers that stock angora and Mr Carmody said these shops will face protests if they don’t take action.
Both Dunnes Stores and Arnotts yesterday failed to respond to queries during the week about whether their angora garments are ethically sourced.
Both retailers yesterday had angora-mix products for sale on their websites.
However, Pamela Scott confirmed it would stop selling angora when contacted by the MoS.
Marketing manager Robert Bar- ron, said: ‘I’ll be pulling our angora jumper from stock.’
Clerys, Brown Thomas and Pennys said they would investigate the source of their angora but indicated that the clothes would remain on sale in the meantime.
A spokeswoman for Clerys, said: ‘We are working to ensure that any angora that we retail is ethically sourced, requesting written proof. Where we do not get confirmation, we will remove it from sale.’
Meanwhile, Brown Thomas managing director Stephen Sealey, said they were examining their ‘angora supply chain to check standards are being adhered to’.
A Penneys spokesman, said: ‘We have decided to cease ordering products that use angora while we continue to investigate the issue.’
A growing list of international retailers have promised to immediately pull angora products from their shelves, including H&M and online retailer ASOS.
An ASOS spokesman, said: ‘ASOS firmly believes it is not acceptable for animals to suffer in the name of fashion or cosmetics.’
When contacted by the Irish Mail on Sunday, Zara, H&M, Topshop, Oasis and Marks & Spencer con- firmed that their ban on angora stretches to their Irish stores.
M&S and Oasis said they were confident their angora was ethically sourced but they would stop selling the product nonetheless.
Urban Outfitters, Tommy Hilfiger, Warehouse, Gap, and Ted Baker have also agreed to stop ordering angora products. Karen Millen did not reply to queries.
Zara has announced that it will stop further angora orders after more than a quarter of a million people signed an online petition calling on the Spanish company to boycott the wool.