Burberry bans exotic animal skins

British brand Burberry has announced that it will stop using the skin of exotic animals in the production of clothing, shoes and bags. This decision was made by the company's management against the backdrop of many years of protests by animal rights activists. Prior to this, the brand's models used the skin of a python, water snake and crocodile.

Burberry followed in the footsteps of its peers Jean Paul Gaultier, Gucci, Versace, Coach, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Jil Sander, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood and Victoria Beckam, who also stopped using animal materials in their collections. Versace, which used kangaroo leather in the production of clothing and footwear, was subjected to the strongest criticism of animal rights activists.

Animal rights activists from PETA demanded to stop profiting from the suffering of reptiles, because the exotic leather industry is destroying the planet and the animals living on it. The PETA investigation said that the pythons and crocodiles are subjected to terrible torture before becoming a piece of leather for handbags. Under pressure from critics, in 2018 Burberry completely abandoned the use of natural fur and angora. Now activists are calling for Hermes, Gucci and LVMH to abandon natural materials.