Germana Carillo Peta has urged Donatella Versace to take a strong stance against the wool industry which involves practices as cruel as the fur industry
@donatella_versace/Instagram @Ovais Ibn farooq/Pexels
As she prepares to chair the jury for the 2025 International Woolmark Prize in Milan, PETA has sent a letter to Donatella Versace, urging her to reconsider her support for the wool industry, which the organization claims involves cruel practices toward animals that are comparable to those of the fur industry.
In 2018, Versace made a public commitment to stop using fur in her collections, citing her desire not to contribute to animal suffering. Now, PiETA is reminding her that, while she made an ethical choice regarding fur, the production of wool presents similar concerns.
Wool can be just as cruel as fur
According to Yvonne Taylor, PETA’s Vice President of Corporate Projects, global investigations have revealed that wool production can be just as cruel as fur, with inhumane practices surrounding the treatment of sheep.
Inhumane practices in the wool industry
PETA highlights that sheep farming is often a site of violence and mistreatment. Sheep are subjected to stressful conditions, suffering isolation from their flock, and enduring painful practices such as tail docking and castration without anesthesia.
Moreover, workers, under the pressure of a system that compensates them based on the amount of wool sheared, may physically abuse the animals, hitting them, punching them, and causing severe injuries. Sheep shearing, while commonly accepted, can also cause significant harm to the animals, resulting in severe injuries that are treated without painkillers. These abuses have been documented in numerous reports by PETA, which continues to expose the unacceptable conditions in which animals raised for wool production are kept.
The environmental impact of wool production
In addition to the ethical concerns, the wool industry also has a significant negative impact on the environment. Sheep are among the largest producers of methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming. Wool production is also responsible for fecal waste and issues related to soil erosion and desertification of ecosystems.
With these issues in mind, PETA calls on Donatella Versace, one of the most influential figures in fashion, to take a stand against the use of traditional wool, opting instead for plant-based and cruelty-free materials for her creations. Through her example, the designer could become a leader in cruelty-free fashion, inspiring others in the industry to follow suit.
Source: PETA
