Every
year, millions of animals are killed for the clothing industry. Whether
they come from Chinese fur farms, Indian slaughterhouses, or the
Australian Outback, an immeasurable amount of suffering goes into every
fur-trimmed jacket, leather belt, and wool sweater.
Fur
Animals on fur farms spend
their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages. Fur farmers
use the cheapest and cruelest killing methods available, including
suffocation, electrocution, gassing, and poisoning. More than half the fur in the U.S. comes from China , where millions of dogs and cats are bludgeoned, hanged, bled to death, and sometimes even skinned alive for their fur. Chinese fur is often deliberately mislabeled, so if you wear any fur, there's no way of knowing whose skin you're in.
Leather
Most leather comes from developing countries like India , and China, where animals routinely
have their throats slit and their skin ripped off while they are still
conscious. In India, a PETA investigation found that cows have
their tails broken and chili peppers and tobacco rubbed into their eyes
in order to force them to walk after they collapse while traveling long
distances to slaughter
Wool
Most of the world's wool comes from Australia, where sheep undergo "mulesing ,"
a gruesome mutilation in which large chunks of skin and flesh are cut
from lambs' backsides without any painkillers. Each year, millions of
sheep discarded by the Australian wool industry are crammed onto export ships to
be sent to the Middle East. Sheep who survive the terrifying voyage are
often dragged off trucks by their ears and legs, tied up, beaten, and
have their throats slit while they are still conscious.
Compassionate Alternatives
Saving
animals is as simple as choosing luxurious faux fur, cozy polyester
fleece, or sexy pleather. Stylish cruelty-free clothing is available in
every price range from a growing range of catalogs, specialty shops,
and department stores. Top fashion designers, like Stella McCartney , Ralph Lauren , and Marc Bouwer ,
refuse to work with real fur and offer stylish substitutes for dead-end
fashion. With so many fashionable, comfortable options available today,
there's no excuse for wearing any animal skins.
What You Can Do
Fashion should be fun, not fatal. Order PETA's free "Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing ," which lists dozens of companies that offer animal-friendly fashions.
Educate others about the cruelty involved in the fur, leather, and wool industries. Watch PETA's "Fatal Fashion: Fur, Leather, and Wool " video and share it with your friends and family members.
Great Listing of Synthetic Alternatives to Animal Skins