Marks & Spencer is the latest retailer in UK to ban use of alpaca wool after Peta exposed the the treatment of animals at a farm in Peru.
The retailer said that they would ban the use of the product in their future productions including items such as jumpers, beanies, and cardigans.
Peta released footage of its undercover investigation, which revealed instances of abuse documented at Mallkini. The Peruvian farm is the largest privately-owned alpaca wool producer in the world. It shows workers holding crying alpacas by the ears and roughly shear the animals with electric clippers. Some of the animals are also seen vomitting.
“Marks & Spencer’s decision will prevent many alpacas from being tormented for their wool,” Peta’s director of corporate projects Yvonne Taylor said in a statement. “We urge all retailers to protect these vulnerable animals by following the company’s compassionate example and introducing a ban on alpaca fibre.”
The British retailer follows the footsteps of other brands like Gap, H&M and Esprit, who have also cut ties with Mallkini’s parent company the Michell Group.