Peta launches offensive against Woolmark Prize

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Feb 13, 2020

A prestigious sustainable fashion competition has found itself targeted by animal rights organisation Peta.

The International Woolmark Prize is known in the fashion industry for championing sustainable fashion and the use of Merino wool, but Peta thinks the initiative’s priorities are misplaced.

Ahead of the competition's global final taking place at London Fashion Week this week, Peta has sent letters to the fashion leaders who have been chosen as judges urging them to cut ties with the award. 

The list of judges includes Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, and Hamish Bowles, editor-at-large of Vogue, as well as designer Kim Jones and writer and academic Sinéad Burke. 

The letter was also sent to all 10 finalists who will be competing for the chance to win A$200,000 and have their capsule collection stocked by various retail stores. Among others, the finalists are Richard Malone, A-COLD-WALL*, Samuel Ross, GmbH, Namacheko, and Botter.

Peta’s attack follows claims of cruelty to sheep documented in Australia, the UK, and the US. The organisation said the wool industry is a major producer of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and is driving ecological catastrophes like the Australian bushfires.

Peta director Elisa Allen said the group “is urging fashion insiders to take a stand against wool by shunning this prize and championing truly sustainable vegan materials."

It's unclear how successful Peta would be with this campaign. While its anti-fur focus was widely supported, consumers so far seem to be less interested in claimed abuses in the wool production chain.