H&M Campaigns to End Animal Testing for Cosmetics

Humane Society International (HSI) and H&M announced a new partnership to reform animal welfare in the fashion industry. HSI’s #BeCrueltyFree campaign, which launched in 2012, aims to end cosmetic testing on animals throughout the world. Their efforts have resulted in bans on testing or trade of animal-tested items in places such as the European Union, Israel, Norway, New Zealand, and Turkey. H&M brand cosmetics are already subject to a strict cruelty-free policy, but now the company will support HSI’s campaign through consumer advocacy, education programs, and discussions with main stakeholders. In this collaboration, HSI and H&M will work to develop global industry standards on wool and down and try to change common practices such as mulesing, live-plucking, and force-feeding. “H&M is demonstrating great leadership by expanding its existing animal welfare commitments, and supporting the development of certification and educational programs that will actively improve the welfare of animals such as sheep, goats, geese, and ducks in the industry as a whole,” Chetana Mirle, director of HSI’s farm animals department, said in a press release. “We are particularly looking forward to working together to eliminate cruel farming practices such as mulesing from the fashion industry, which would be an immense animal welfare achievement.”