ASOS bans sale of products containing silk, feathers, cashmere and more

Online fashion giant ASOS has extended its animal welfare policy to ban the sale of products containing a number of animal-based products from its site.

Products containing feathers & down and bone, teeth & shell (including mother of pearl) will no longer be sold on its site from third-party brands, bringing its policy in-line with its own-label practices where they are already banned. In addition cashmere, silk and mohair will be also banned from its own label as well as products from third party brands.

The etailer's animal welfare policy already stated that suppliers must not use "vulnerable, endangered, exotic or wild-caught species in their products" and, as such, fur, Mongolian lamb's fur or rabbit hair (angora) were already on the banned list.

Any wool, leather or animal hair used must be a by-product of the meat-producing industry from suppliers with good animal husbandry.

The RSPCA praised ASOS in its animal welfare policy saying its actions proved that "no matter how large an organisation, animal welfare can be at the heart of successful business."

ASOS's tightening of its animal welfare policy comes soon after a landmark parliamentary debate that called for the ban of fur imports into the UK. The UK has banned fur farming since 2000 but still imports certain types of fur (domestic cat and dog fur and seal furs from commercial hunts are all banned) from other nations.

While MPs from all parties appeared to back the ban, with many across the political spectrum making impassioned speeches on the subject, the government has declined to act as of yet.