An important precedent has been set this week: a clothing retailer which banned use of Australian wool has changed its mind and is again buying mulesed Australian wool.
Swedish retail giant RnB Retail and Brands has lifted its freeze on Australian wool orders, given pain relief is available.
In a slap in the face to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), RnB says it has not been persuaded by any animal rights group to boycott Australian wool.
”RnB Retail and Brands thoroughly disapproves of all types of unethical and cruel treatment of animals at every level of our purchasing chain," a RnB website statement says.
"Accordingly, we are completely opposed to traditional and routine use of mulesing without pain relief in order to prevent flystrike on Merino sheep in Australia.”
While the company “demanded” the Australian industry stick by its 2010 mulesing phase out, it will be steering its purchasing of wool to suppliers that can offer alternatives that are “currently superior to mulesing without pain relief.”
Sheep and Wool Industry Taskforce chairman Don Hamblin said the taskforce endorsed the use of pain relief and through the Woolmark network the taskforce would be tackling the issue of corporate social responsibility head on.