Brooks Brothers Bans Exotic Skins

Brooks Brothers has announced that it will no longer sell merchandise made from exotic animal skins such as crocodile, ostrich and lizard.

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Brooks Brother confirmed that it has stopped ordering products made of exotic-animal skins[/caption]

This isn’t the first time the US clothing brand has adopted ethical and cruelty-free practices. Back in 2016, it stopped using Chilean wool following a PETA expose that revealed horrific cruelty on sheep farms.

Later, in 2018, the brand stopped purchasing mohair (a fabric made from the hair of Angora goats) after PETA’s investigation exposed graphic footage of an Angora goat farm in South Africa.

According to the brand, it used exotic skins for only a fraction of its products, which included shoes, bags and small leather goods. The retailer stopped using animal skins in its designs around a year ago and is selling through the last of that remaining inventory.

Brooks Brothers joins a number of brands that have removed animal skins from their labels, including Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg, Hugo Boss, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Jil Sander, and other fashion brands that have banned exotic skins due to the inherent cruelties of the fashion industry.

Last year, British fashion designer Victoria Beckham pledged to ban exotic skins in her luxury fashion brand. The brand confirmed a new policy prohibiting alligator, crocodile, ostrich, and snake skins. The ban also applies to the import and sale of other exotic skins, such as iguana, skink, caiman, and various lizards. Anyone who violates the legislation will be handed a $1,000 – $5,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail.

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According to PETA, tens of thousands of crocodiles are killed in Vietnam every year to supply some of the biggest fashion brands / ph: Pexels@Lucas Pezeta[/caption]

Animal rights organizations have repeatedly exposed the cruelty of the exotic skins’ industry, which kills countless animals including crocodiles, alligators, snakes, and other reptiles to obtain their skins in order to make fashion accessories like bags, wallets, shoes, and belts. According to PETA, tens of thousands of crocodiles are killed in Vietnam every year to supply some of the biggest fashion brands. A harrowing investigation showed workers electrocuting crocodiles and then cutting into their necks and ramming metal rods down their spines while they are still living.

Behind every crocodile or snakeskin item is an animal who experienced a violent, bloody death. Just like humans, these animals experience fear and pain and want to be free. Crocodiles communicate with each other using a complex series of vocalizations, and alligators spend years raising their babies. These fascinating animals want to enjoy life, not be confined to cages and killed for their skin.