The Australian arm of Humane Society International (HSI) has launched the latest edition of its ‘Better Wool Guide’ which features over 200 brands that are part of the growing movement to phase out mulesing.
HSI Australia’s guide highlights 221 brands available to Australian consumers with a commitment to remove mulesed wool from their supply chains, with many already claiming to be mulesing free.
The guide signals the continuing shift in animal welfare expectations of Australian consumers, with 75 more brands included since the last edition of the guide released last year.
Newcomers join the likes of Country Road Group, David Jones, Myer, H&M, Target and Big W in their support for better welfare of animals.
The practice of mulesing is carried out on the bottoms of wrinkled lambs to avoid flystrike.
It involves slicing strips of skin off a lambs rear, often done without pain relief.

IMAGE: Merino wool producers are starting to move toward breeding plain bodied sheep which don’t have to mulesed.