Spanish fashion giant Mango has signed an agreement to reject wool sourced from mulesed lambs by 2030, with Australia reportedly being the only country where the practice is still ongoing.
Mulesing - or what Four Paws calls “live lamb cutting” - involves the removal of skin around a lamb’s buttocks and tail in order to prevent flystrike, which is a painful condition that can cause death in 24 hours if left untreated.
Over 80 per cent of superfine Merino wool for the global fashion market comes from Australia.
Mango, which accrued 3.1 billion euros (~A$5.1 billion) in the 2023 financial year, has now joined a list of 90 international fashion brands and retailers such as Adidas, Zara, Patagonia and Kathmandu that have signed the Four Paws’ ‘Brand Letter of Intent’ against the practice.
“After three years of intense talks, we applaud Mango’s decision to ban the cruel mutilation of lambs and call on Australia, by far the biggest wool producer for clothing, to do the same,” Four Paws wool campaign lead Rebecca Picallo Gil said.
“The shift towards more animal welfare for such a key player in the fast fashion sector is also a signal for other competitors to follow suit. The Australian wool industry can no longer ignore the sheer number of brands supporting this global movement.
“It must finally put an end to this outdated and extremely painful procedure for Merino lambs and transition towards pain-free alternatives.”
In an article shared by Ragtrader in September, national peak body WoolProducers Australia retaliated against a report released by Four Paws, Australian Alliance for Animals, and the Humane Society International Australia that attacked the Australian wool industry’s failure to end mulesing.
WoolProducers specifically condemned the use of the term 'live lamb cutting', calling it a “sensationalised label” that is intended to replace the current and established terminology of mulesing.
“It’s an interesting approach from groups who are purporting to be serious animal welfare experts and who are seeking a seat at the table with government in animal welfare discussions, to start making up terms,” WoolProducers CEO Jo Hall said.
Hall highlighted the absurdity of the new terminology, suggesting that if imaginative language is to start being employed, supporters might as well refer to mulesing as 'lifetime lamb protection procedure.' The term 'live lamb cutting' has been described as a loaded phrase designed to attract attention and provoke strong emotional responses.
“The term itself is almost laughable and has clearly been workshopped to try and be as dramatic and misleading as possible. The use of the word ‘cutting’ implies a more extensive procedure than what mulesing actually is.”
Last month, Four Paws launched its global 'Be Their Voice' animated video, supported by Australian actress Danielle Macdonald and US actor Scott Evans, aiming to raise awareness and to push brands and policymakers to end mulesing by 2030.