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PETA’s Campaign Links Wool Production to Animal Cruelty
By Drooid · · How we work
PETA Protest Targets Wool Industry
On September 13, activists disrupted COS’s New York Fashion Week runway show to draw attention to the treatment of sheep in wool production and to urge the H&M Group—COS’s parent company—to cease selling wool. The confrontation was captured on video and generated widespread online attention. The protest was part of a broader effort by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to highlight the parallels between wool and fur industries.
Sheep Welfare Concerns in Wool Production
PETA documents describe sheep as social animals that form close bonds, yet the wool sector often treats them as “wool-producing machines.” PETA Asia’s footage from a NATIVA-certified operation shows workers kicking and stomping on sheep, dragging lambs by their legs, and leaving animals with gaping wounds after shearing. The farm involved supplied wool through a contractor linked to the H&M Group. PETA reports that similar abuse has been recorded at more than 150 wool-industry sites worldwide, including beatings, kicks, cuts during shearing, and the slaughter of sheep deemed unprofitable.
Public Opinion Survey Shows Shift
A Harris Poll conducted for PETA and published on October 1, 2026, found that 71 % of U.S. adults consider raising and slaughtering animals for wool to be as cruel as doing so for fur. Among respondents who had heard about the NYFW protest, 81 % said the event increased their awareness of sheep-welfare issues; 40 % learned of the issue for the first time, while 41 % were already aware but learned more. Following the protest, 42 % said they were less likely to purchase wool, 56 % expressed greater interest in animal-free or vegan fashion, and 45 % indicated they would view a retailer more positively if it stopped selling wool.
Implications for Retailers and Consumer Choices
The poll results suggest a growing consumer willingness to favor “vegan fashion” over wool garments. PETA’s campaign urges shoppers to avoid wool products and calls on the H&M Group to discontinue wool sales, positioning animal-free alternatives as a preferable market direction. The organization frames the issue as a moral choice for both consumers and retailers, emphasizing that each wool sweater, coat, or scarf originates from a sheep whose fleece belongs to the animal.