Kering joins brands like Armani, Burberry, Chloé, and Lacoste in ditching the animal fabric.

Kering Group, which operates brands like Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Alexander McQueen, has pledged to remove rabbit-fur-based angora materials from its luxury fashion products.

The decision follows after the entire fashion conglomerate went fur-free in 2021.

According to reports, the company decided to extend its ban on angora fur following discussions with vegan charity PETA, also a shareholder of Kering.

According to the charity, several undercover investigations have shown that rabbits reared for angora are ‘subjected to violent plucking, during which they are tied up and held down and their soft hair is torn out by the fistful, sometimes tearing their delicate skin’.

In fact, an expose involving 10 different Angora farms in China  found workers exploiting and manhandling rabbits on the farms by pinning them against boards and ripping fistfuls of fur from their bodies and leaving them “screaming in pain,”

China produces around 90% of the world’s Angora wool.

‘Compassionate decision’

PETA widely applauded Kering’s decision to ban angora. “Angora and rabbit felt are torture for these sensitive animals, whose fur is either torn out while they’re still fully conscious or shorn off after they’ve been electrocuted or their necks have been broken,” Yvonne Taylor, PETA UK, vice president of corporate projects said.

“We applaud Kering’s compassionate decision and urge the last remaining brands that still sell angora to follow its lead.”

Kering isn’t alone in its decision to ditch Angora.  More than 400 brands and retailers have banned the product including Armani, Burberry, Chloé, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, and Lacoste.

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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