Subject to a ‘Wear an ugly Christmas jumper’ party this December? Me too. Uncomfortable? I know. Ugly? Definitely. Too hot? Tell me about it. So much is wrong with Christmas jumpers that I wonder how they still sell. Already frumpy, itchy, and unflattering, there could be a lot more wrong with it than what meets the eye.
How would you feel if I told you that there’s a possibility that not only your horrendous Christmas jumper but also any other jumper material item of clothing you own has been made from several of these?
Cute, I know. Let me introduce you to the Angora bunny. I will just allow a few seconds for you to click everything into place. Yes, Angora is sourced from this adorable, fluffy bunny and 90% of the material comes from China. Previous to PETA’s undercover footage I was completely unaware of even the origin, let alone the obscene practices that take place to gain the material.
There is a video posted on the official PETA page. I believe that everyone should be aware of the inhumanity and cruelty that these poor little bunnies have to face. Every three months they are taken out of their cages, stretched out on a flat surface with their front and back legs tied together and their fur is either ripped out or sheared. The rabbits scream in pain as their handlers ruthlessly pluck them with their bare hands. Those that are sheared are also subject to an excruciating experience as their handlers show no mercy, holding them upside down as they clip away at their fur and quite often, their skin. Once the process is finished, they are thrown back into their cages, silent and dazed from the overwhelming pain. It is not just the hair removal that damages the rabbits but the imprisonment in a tiny, faeces infested cage. The rabbits are kept in four walls of wire, which continuously cuts into their pads. They never have the chance to hop around, run or play.
I feel so passionate about this that I could not let it go without covering it in an article. Although this may now be considered ‘old news’, I believe people need to be reminded.
H&M have admitted their wrongs, seizing their production of angora. Acne, ASOS, Stella McCartney Whistles, Zara and many more have all succumbed to the powerful force of petitions and public voice. A few even admitted to having committed to stop selling angora after the invention of a poignant blog. However, despite this success, offenders still remain ignorant to the uproar. Sign the petition to STOP TOPSHOP ALL TOGETHER!
Marks and Spencer told one newspaper “We will not place any further orders from our suppliers for products containing angora until we have concluded our visits to farms.” But how can we know and trust this statement when regulations have previously been so scarce? Stop the use of Angora for good, inspection alone is not good enough.
Do the RIGHT thing and pledge NEVER to buy Angora fur.
You wouldn’t let this happen to our bunnies.