Here’s Why Ginger & Smart Will Never Use Exotic Skins or Angora Fur
One of Australia’s most beloved luxury brands, Ginger & Smart, has confirmed to PETA that it does not – and will never – use angora rabbit fur or exotic skins, such as those torn from crocodiles, snakes, and lizards, in its designs. Renowned for its structured professional looks and unforgettable evening gowns, the brand is popular worldwide, including with the luxe Saks Fifth Avenue set.
This commitment to never using angora or exotic skins tells us that Ginger & Smart isn’t only compassionate but also environmentally responsible and business-savvy. Shoppers don’t want animals to suffer and die for fashion, and the destructive impact of fur and leather on the planet is well known. Adopting a policy against these cruelly obtained materials puts Ginger & Smart at the front of the fashion-forward pack.
On angora farms, terrified rabbits are typically trapped in small, filthy cages void of enrichment and live-plucked up to four times a year, a painful process which causes the naturally quiet rabbits to scream in fear and agony. A PETA Asia investigation into almost a dozen rabbit farms in China – where 90% of the world’s angora originates – revealed rabbits frozen in terror after their feet were tethered and their fur was ripped out at the root.
In the exotic-skins industry, several species suffer for handbags, belts, and shoes. Australian crocodiles are confined to dirty concrete pits no longer than their bodies before they are shot or their spinal cords are severed. They are then skinned for accessories by brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermès. Lizards are clubbed and decapitated, and snakes are often hunted in the wild and may be skinned alive. Ostriches are also farmed for their skin and – as a PETA US investigation revealed – often egregiously abused before their throats are slit and their feathers are ripped out.
Which Aussie brand will pledge to never use fur or exotic skins next?
