{
  "id": 9171997,
  "title": "South African ostriches plucked alive for luxury fashion, report claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/south-african-ostriches-plucked-alive-for-luxury-fashion-report-claims",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-22T16:24:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KahawaTungu",
    "slug": "kahawatungu",
    "url": "https://kahawatungu.com/south-african-ostriches-plucked-alive-for-luxury-fashion-report-claims/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South African ostrich farms employ mechanical pluckers to remove feathers from living birds destined for renowned luxury fashion labels, according to an investigation conducted by animal welfare organization World Animal Protection. The study, carried out in collaboration with Collective Fashion Justice, exposes the painful and inhumane methods used in ostrich farming. Workers corner the birds, place bags over their heads, and then cut and pull out their feathers without administering pain relief, the report \"Blood Feathers\" reveals. The investigation highlights that South Africa, responsible for around 75% of the global ostrich market, exports over 150 tonnes of ostrich feathers annually, along with about 150,000 ostriches slaughtered for feathers, meat, and skin. Luxury brands such as YSL, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, and fast-fashion giant Shein all source feathers from South African farms. The report alleges that some farms cut feathers above the bloodline, a process that is repeated every six months, resulting in blood appearing in the feathers – hence the term \"blood feathers.\" While this may appear as an alternative to live plucking, the investigation found that the process causes significant distress to the ostriches. Injured birds, unable to stand or suffering from wounds resulting from pecking at each other’s eyes and feathers, were also observed. Campaign manager Olivia Charlton of World Animal Protection asserts that \"Feathers are the new fur – it’s the same cruelty just with a different animal,\" emphasizing the need for fashion brands to reconsider their reliance on ostrich feathers. Emma Hakansson, founding director of Collective Fashion Justice, criticizes the inconsistency of fashion brands rejecting fur while continuing to use ostrich feathers from an industry plagued by suffering. She emphasizes the availability of innovative fabric manipulation techniques and bio-materials that could replicate feathers' lightness, volume, and movement, without resorting to such cruelty.",
  "summary": "South African ostrich farms are using mechanical pluckers to remove feathers from living birds destined for major luxury fashion brands in techniques that are cruel and painful, animal welfare group World Animal Protection said on Monday. The organisation said a new investigation, conducted with Collective Fashion Justice, documented ostriches being cornered by workers who put [...] The post…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}