Stop the Cruelty Behind Fashion

From ostriches plucked alive to wild birds farmed for their feathers, the feather trade is built on cruelty. All ostriches within the supply chain are ultimately killed—whether for their skins or their feathers. There is no ostrich feather production system that does not end in slaughter. Though ostriches have a natural lifespan of 30 to 40 years, they are often killed at just nine months old—a fraction of their natural lives. Behind every elegant trim and extravagant headpiece lies a hidden reality of fear and suffering.

Kept in unnatural conditions, these wild birds endure significant psychological stress, displaying behaviours like pacing, biting the air, chewing wire fences, and picking at their own or other birds' feathers—signs of frustration, overcrowding, and boredom.

The industry thrives in secrecy, but together, change is possible. With your support, investigations can expose the cruelty behind the feather trade, consumers and fashion leaders can be educated on humane choices, and momentum can build to ban wild bird feathers at London Fashion Week.

Great progress has already been made. London Fashion Week has banned fur and wild animal skins, while Melbourne and Copenhagen Fashion Weeks have gone even further—committing to entirely wildlife-free policies, including a ban on feathers. These milestones show that the industry is moving toward ethical alternatives, but more work remains to ensure wild bird feathers are no longer used in fashion.