Luxury fashion brands linked to ‘blood feathers’ from South African ostriches
A new investigation has put South Africa’s ostrich feather industry under scrutiny, alleging that birds supplying feathers linked to major luxury fashion brands are subjected to painful feather removal practices, including mechanical plucking and the use of pliers.
Luxury fashion houses YSL, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, and fast-fashion retailer Shein have been linked to the use of "blood feathers" sourced from ostriches in South Africa, according to a new investigation by animal welfare organization World Animal Protection. The report, titled "Blood Feathers," reveals that these birds are subjected to cruel and painful techniques to obtain the feathers, which are then used in high-end clothing.
World Animal Protection, in collaboration with Collective Fashion Justice, documented the distressing methods used by farm workers who corner ostriches, cover their heads with bags, and cut their feathers without providing pain relief. Some feathers are pulled from the birds' skin while still growing and containing blood, leading to the term "blood feathers."
The investigation found that some birds are repeatedly subjected to this process every six months, causing significant distress. Injured ostriches, unable to stand or suffering from wounds from pecking at each other's eyes and feathers, were also observed. World Animal Protection spokesperson Olivia Charlton described the process as "extremely distressing" and compared it to the cruelty of the fur industry.
Emma Hakansson, founding director of Collective Fashion Justice, criticized the fashion industry for rejecting fur but embracing ostrich feathers, stating that there are numerous alternatives to the feather trade and no justification for this cruelty. South Africa, which produces about 75% of the global ostrich market, exports over 150 tonnes of ostrich feathers annually, and around 150,000 ostriches are slaughtered for feathers, meat, and skin.
This trade has a long history in South Africa, with ostrich feathers being one of the country's top exports in the early 20th century.
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