While animal-derived materials make up no more than 8% of all materials used for clothing, a staggering 5 billion animals are used or killed for fashion each year. Most of them will endure just a fraction of their normal lifespan, with many animals suffering unnecessary pain, fear and stress due to cruel mutilation practices and inadequate living conditions for the sake of clothing. That’s why FOUR PAWS is calling for people to choose kinder choices for animals this festive season and for all seasons. But where does one begin?

In the age of hyper globalisation, the mass production of never-ending trends can make it difficult to find something truly special for that certain someone. So, if it’s the thought that really counts, what could be kinder for your wallet, the animals, and our planet than to personalise the gifts of your loved ones with something unique to their interests, personality, or aesthetic?

With an increasing number of second-hand and resale platforms online, including Oxfam Shop UK, Depop (a go-to for fashion bloggers), and Vinted, finding those 'uniquely you' items are certainly becoming easier with each festive season!

We understand that it might not be possible to purchase for everybody or every occasion using unique second-hand gifts. Therefore, if you must buy new, a little bit of time spent learning the key animal welfare issues to avoid in your purchases goes a long way to making change for animals used for fashion. 

While this may seem daunting, FOUR PAWS makes it easy with our new Wear It Kind Directory. With over 250 international brands rated, you can easily search which brands are live lamb cutting free, live plucking free, fur free, and the brands you can check out for more sustainably produced items made from next-gen materials – which now include alternative leathers made from apple and pineapple waste as in Leap and Piñatex, as well as plant-based feather-free and fur-free materials as in BioPuff and KOBA.

What’s great in 2024 is that an increasing number of brands are committing to using ‘higher welfare’ certifications that prohibit live lamb cutting, while also aiming to ensure more environmentally and socially responsible practices in production.

But how do you find products with ‘higher welfare’ wool? And which brands are currently using it? Luckily, our Wear It Kind Directory is a good starting point! Our Directory tells you with a green lamb icon.

If you see a dark green lamb icon, the brand can guarantee all their products containing wool have been certified free from live lamb cutting. If you see a light green lamb icon, the brand can guarantee some of their products containing wool have been certified free from live lamb cutting.

For brands with a light green lamb icon, you will need to check which of their products containing wool have been certified, by looking out for ‘higher welfare’ credentials such as the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), ZQ, and NATIVA.

If you or someone you know will be spending the festive season or new year in the northern winter, the good news is that many outdoor garments are now made using certified recycled down and feather or avoid the use of down altogether using certified recycled synthetic materials. In our Wear It Kind Directory, simply use our filtering tool to search the brands which are '100% live plucking free' or brands that use 'no down'.