Zalando takes stance against mulesing

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 8, 2022

It emerged on Friday that online fashion giant Zalando is lending its support to the campaign to end mulesing as part of the wool production process.

As is usual with announcements linked to animal welfare issues around the fashion industry (such as ending the use of fur by many designer labels), the announcement didn't come directly from the company. Instead it came from one of the non-profit organisations campaigning against the practice.

Four Paws said Zalando has become the newest brand to sign the charity’s Brand Letter of Intent “supporting a move away from wool obtained by the cruel process of mulesing”.

The company has said it will transition towards 100% certified mulesing-free wool within its own brands by 2023.  

Mulesing is only practiced in Australia, the world’s largest producer of merino wool. It involves cutting strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech of a young lamb to prevent the parasitic infection flystrike.

Four Paws UK’s Head of Campaigns Emily Wilson said: “In signing the ‘Brand Letter of Intent’, Europe's largest online retailer is ensuring more animal welfare in its production chain. We have been campaigning against mulesing for many years and are seeing massive inroads with fashion brands across the world and today is another step forward in eradicating the outdated and extremely painful mulesing practice.”

Other brands signed up to eradicate the practice include Adidas, Primark M&S, Hugo Boss and H&M.