High-Street Retailers Ban Down Feathers

British high-street brands including Topshop, Whistles, Warehouse, Primark and Oasis have committed to banning all down feathers in their collections following an expose by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

PETA revealed a video in May showing birds being aggressively plucked of their feathers while still alive in farms in China (where 80 per cent of the world's down feathers originate from), despite having "connections to retail suppliers that are certified by the Responsible Down Standard, which prohibits live plucking of geese".

"Just as they did with cruelly obtained angora wool, forward-thinking fashion brands are jumping to meet the demands of today's compassionate consumers, who want nothing to do with an industry that rips out live birds' feathers," said Yvonne Taylor, PETA's senior manager of corporate projects. "PETA will continue to work with retailers across the UK to ditch feathers in favour of natural or high-tech synthetic fillers that are hypoallergenic, warm, eco-friendly and infinitely kinder to birds."

Other brands that have also offered a down-free pledge include ASOS, Boohoo, Miss Dr Martens, Hobbs, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, and White Stuff.