Major retailers support PETA/AWGA agreement

18 Aug '05

2 min read

The ink is barely dry on the groundbreaking agreement between PETA and the Australian Wool Growers Association (AWGA), and already, major US retailers such as Talbot's, Nordstrom and H&M have expressed their support for a new brand of wool that is guaranteed not to come from lambs who were mutilated or sheep who suffered grueling ocean voyages to other countries to be killed.

The plan devised by PETA and AWGA – which provides a timetable for phasing out mulesing mutilations of lambs and would end exports of live sheep to countries that don't meet Australian welfare standards – establishes a new wool brand that would be available to these and other retailers internationally.

In a letter to PETA last week, Talbot's Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Margery B. Myers expressed support for the new brand, writing: "Our plan going forward is to give purchasing preference to those suppliers that can supply us with quality merino wool sourced from non-mulesed sheep. The fact that the wool from AWGA will be branded is very helpful."

Last week, PETA announced a 45-day moratorium on its international boycott to give other wool-industry groups time to review and sign onto the accord. The initial reaction from Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), which is currently embroiled in a costly and to-date fruitless legal battle with PETA, was negative, but PETA and AWGA are hopeful that positive feedback from retailers will persuade AWI and other groups to embrace the plan.

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