After sustained pressure from animal rights activists and a strong campaign by PETA, which included protests at H&M stores and a public appeal from actor Joaquin Phoenix criticizing the company for “unspeakable cruelty” to ducks, fashion giant H&M has finally announced it will stop using new down feathers by the end of 2025. This campaign effectively highlighted the brutal realities of down feather harvesting, galvanizing over 150,000 supporters to demand change.

H&M is set to eliminate the use of new down feathers, transitioning to exclusively using synthetic and post-consumer recycled down for its jackets and bedding. The company aims to complete this transition by the end of 2025. This decision comes as a direct response to the escalating calls for transparency and ethics in fashion manufacturing.

Critics argue that while the move is a step in the right direction, it is long overdue and should be seen as part of a broader industry trend towards greater accountability. The announcement raises questions about the effectiveness of corporate sustainability measures that are reactive rather than integral to a company’s strategy from the outset.

The process of sourcing down feathers, commonly used in the fashion industry for their insulation properties, often involves severe animal cruelty. Birds such as ducks and geese are subjected to live-plucking, a painful procedure where feathers are ripped from the birds’ skin while they are fully conscious. This practice not only causes immense distress and pain to the animals but can also lead to serious injuries and long-term harm.

Moreover, the conditions under which these birds are raised compound the cruelty. Often kept in filthy, overcrowded sheds or barren lots, their lives are fraught with suffering. This suffering extends to the slaughterhouses where, despite regulations, many birds are improperly stunned, meaning they remain conscious when their throats are cut and as they are plunged into scalding water for feather removal.

As H&M commits to discontinuing the use of new down feathers, this policy change serves as a pivotal test for the broader fashion industry’s ability to enact and uphold ethical standards. It’s crucial that this initiative not merely be a symbolic gesture but act as a catalyst for widespread, substantive reforms across the industry. How can you help? Continue your support by urging companies to stop selling down and other animal products.