In our minds, some of us might think of angora wool being harvested on happy farms where bunnies are politely groomed and buzzed down every so often to relieve them of excess fur, and as a fortunate byproduct, provide wool for our coats. But nothing could be further from the truth. While angora fur is considered some of the softest wool around, the way it’s produced is anything but soft and cuddly. This wool comes from Angora rabbits, which are mostly kept locked up in dingy, feces-coated cages their entire lives. Except during production time, when they’re strapped down and people rip the fur right out from their skin.
Because longer fur is more profitable, farm supervisors tell workers to get the entire hairs out of the animals, right down to the follicles’ bulbs, so gently buzzing the hair off just won’t work. Videos document rabbits screaming in pain while garment workers tear lengths of fur from their bodies and even being tied onto boards where staff stretch them out and hack off their fur. Fortunately, public pressure from animal lovers like you has been forcing fashion houses to change their ways. Just this year, both Valentino and Armani banned angora in their products. Yet expensive brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada have been disturbingly silent when it comes to these rabbit abuses. Sign the petition to demand these brands end the use of angora wool!