GAP, H&M, Topshop, Zara - it turns out that one video was enough for these and many other popular retail chains to pull out of selling clothing made from a natural material.
Information revealed by PETA contributed to the decision by many well-known brands to end the production and sale of clothing and accessories made from mohair. The main argument is concern for the lives of animals that suffer.
H&M, Zara, Gap, Topshop, Old Navy and Banana Republic are brands that have decided they will no longer offer any clothing or accessories (including home goods) made from mohair in their stores.
What is mohair?
It is a type of wool used to produce sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, coats, as well as home accessories such as blankets, pillows and many others. To obtain mohair, it is sourced from Angora goats, mainly those farmed in South Africa. It is worth adding that more than half of the world's mohair production comes from that country.
Shocking video
The new publication by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has meant that Angora goat farmers will have to come to terms with losing several powerful, profitable clients. The animal rights organization revealed that acts of violence and cruelty toward animals occur on 12 goat farms in South Africa, as can be clearly seen in the video made public.
This sight led many brands, including H&M, Zara, Topshop and GAP, to quickly issue statements announcing their withdrawal from selling clothing and accessories made from this type of wool.
“For us, it is a matter of the utmost importance that animals are treated appropriately. Therefore, we have decided that we are completely and irrevocably giving up mohair.” - reads the H&M statement.
The Swedish retail chain claims that mohair products will ultimately be withdrawn from all stores by 2020.
Gap, which owns brands such as Athleta, Banana Republic and Old Navy, as well as the Spanish clothing holding Inditex, the owner of, among others, Zara, Bershka and Oysho, took a similar position. Topshop will also stop selling mohair products starting next year.
Despite the publicity surrounding the video and the official announcements by major brands, The South African Mohair Growers' Association, the organization overseeing Angora goat farmers in South Africa, has still not commented on the retail chains' radical decisions.
Concepts from the article
RPA — Robotic Process Automation. Automation of repetitive tasks usually performed in application interfaces: clicking, copying data, logging in or downloading reports. It is useful when an older system does not offer an API.
Why it matters: It automates work in systems that do not have an API: a robot clicks, copies and moves data just like a human, only without boredom or typos.
When it is used: When systems without programming interfaces need to be connected or work in someone else's panel needs to be automated.
What happens if it is omitted: Without robotization, people transfer data between old systems — slowly, expensively and with errors that no one notices immediately.
