Reading and writing about fashion on blogs is my escapism, I love to learn from everyone else, and use my blog to catalogue my own clothes, mainly on reread, my reaction is 'what was I thinking?' But it is all harmless/pointless fun.
And then I read this story
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2510641/Cruel-truths-angora-fur-trade-revealed-shocking-video.html
It's one of those awful features that you know that you don't want to read, but feel that you should, so that you are informed about what is going on in the world. I haven't included pictures in this post, as unless you choose to see it, some of these images you will never want to have in your brain.
There was a time when when on reading something like this, we would all feel futile, we know it is awful but in the scheme of things what can we do?
On the positive side, H & M and Acne have already withdrawn all of their angora products. Imagine the power of the blogging community, if the thousand or so people who pass by me, were to write about this or email the big retailers and request that they stop buying angora products and the 10 thousand or so people who pass by each of them email the big retailers with their opinion (and Bourbon and Pearls that's a direct appeal to you to get back to the keyboard baby!)
If you read the feature, there IS ethically sourced stuff out there, but an outfit would have to cost thousands to have that provenance.
I used to be in a big corporate, it takes less than 100 direct contacts from the general public to make it into a management meeting discussion. The general idea is that it is 1000 to 1, so for every 1 person who does contact directly, 1000 are thinking the same but just don't bother.
It's the season of goodwill, do something to spread this message, we have so many choices, we can say 'no' to fluffy jumpers that are the result of these horrors.
I read this too. I didn't even know that angora was from rabbits, I will never buy anything containing it again. Well done on this post, this kind of thing should be highlighted.
ReplyDeleteThe more people that read it the better
DeleteOh Alexandra I am truly, truly shocked. I felt sick reading this and there's me anchoring after a Moncler with raccoon fur (I would have been happy with faux). Thing is, there are so many fantastic imitations that we don't need the real thing. Thank you so much for posting this. Going to post a link to Twitter now. X
ReplyDeleteDo you know, somehow fur is not as bad as this, at least it is over quickly, those poor creatures are skinned to raw every three months, all their lives. But I know what you mean, it puts you off.
DeleteWow, thanks for directing me to your post. I don't buy angora as I don't like it but this has completely changed my reason as to why to avoid it. Thank you. How sad!x
ReplyDeleteI agree, I'm not going to touch it again
DeleteQuick update, check out H&M's latest tweet. Anything with Angora in is definitely not being bought by me or my clients! x
DeleteI really can't bring myself to read anything upsetting about animals or children, things of that nature actually make me cry. The way I look at it is that animals die and they should use fur from animals that have died from natural causes if it needs to be used at all. I dread to think how poor defenceless creatures are killed for their fur.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost worse, they don't kill them, they skin them every 3 months, leave them to 'heal' and then do it again, for as many as 5 years and then they kill them, all for yarn that we don't even need
DeleteLike Sharon I can't bring myself to read it.........angora isn't something I buy however, I didn't know it came from poor little rabbits. Very good post! X
ReplyDeletethanks, I just hope the story gets a good airing so that people can vote with their wallets.
DeleteThink you need to put a warning up before we open the article please.
ReplyDeleteI read it once, I can't look at it again, but to be informed buyers, we probably should see this.
DeleteThis practice has been going on for many years Alexandra. Unfortunately this is not the first time that it has been in the public eye.
DeleteThose poor wee souls, that is a really barbaric practice.
ReplyDeletetell any of your friends in the Scottish knitwear business to stop sourcing angora from the far East! Every little helps!
DeleteUnfortunately it is a practice that has been going on for many years.
Deletei didnt read it - i know how horrified i become by these things but i am v glad you posted it - i had no idea and no longer will buy angora - what a world! x
ReplyDeleteit's such an easy one to avoid, I've always preferred cashmere, but there is probably some hideous secret about the making of that too.
DeleteThank you for highlighting this Alexandra. I knew "vaguely" about it, but the article was quite graphic.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking what man does to animals in general :-(
Yes, as I get older I want to hide my head in the sand less about these things, I'll probably be a hardened activist in my eighties!
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