PETA calls on Lululemon to report slaughter methods in production

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a shareholder of Lululemon, has requested a report by the retailer on its slaughter methods used in the production of its down jackets.

A shareholder resolution submitted to the company’s board of directors looks to find if the methods are inconsistent with the athleisure brand’s animal welfare policy, which states that animals in its supply chain “are treated humanely and with respect”. However, PETA noted that methods to obtain down usually involve sending birds to a slaughterhouse, at which they are often subject to inhumane practices.

If methods are incompatible, PETA has said that Lululemon’s shareholders will need to know how the company will mitigate any risks associated with the discrepancy, such as potential false-advertising claims.

“Lululemon is selling jackets filled with the feathers of birds who are violently killed, betraying the yoga principle of ahimsa, or nonviolence, that is splashes on its shopping bags,” commented PETA’s executive vice president, Tracy Reiman, in a statement. “PETA’s resolution would prove to Lululemon that it’s misleading its customers about the suffering and deaths of animals in its supply chain.”

The organisation further noted that Lululemon’s affiliation with the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) could also cause inconsistencies. Past investigations by the animal welfare group have found a number of RDS suppliers to have used cruel methods in their dealings with birds.

In its news release, PETA suggested the use of high-tech synthetic materials, such as Thinsulate, Climashield and PrimaLoft, as alternatives to down, further stating “they don’t lose their insulating power when wet.”