Angora

Many people often mistake Angora wool for mohair from the Angora goat. Angora wool actually comes from a rabbit, the Angora rabbit which produces a thick and soft wool coating. These animals are a form of domesticated rabbit originally from Ankara in Turkey (historically known as Angora) and they became popular during the 18th century. Angora rabbits are used for clothing and their wool is removed every 3 months by distressing processes such as: shearing, combing and plucking. These rabbits are highly social and playful animals and they enjoy the attention from humans and other rabbits. Keeping them caged without any toys or other rabbits to play with leads to severe depression and frustration.

Angora Rabbit Farms

Angora rabbits are mostly farmed on highly intensive ‘factory farm’ style facilities where they are kept in small cages their entire lives. The flooring of the cage is either made of wire or slatted bamboo in order to keep the cage clean and free from excretion. The delicate nature of the animals padded feet means they are extremely sensitive to sharp objects and hard surfaces. Living in a cage with a wire flooring leads to the development of agonizing foot ulcers and blisters. Due to the intensive rearing practices and profit motives of the farms, cages are often so small that the rabbit is denied the opportunity to turn around or even move. As with any caged animal, these rabbits become highly frustrated and may self-harm or develop illness. These illnesses are generally left untreated and can lead to premature death.

Shearing

90% of the world’s Angora rabbit hair is produced in China where animal welfare laws are non-existent. Therefore, there is no consideration for animal welfare so the shearing process often involves suffering. Angora rabbits may be tied down onto a board to stop them from fighting back and resisting the sharp shearing clippers. Their bodies are stretched to allow the shearer access to the rabbits entire body. The rabbits struggle to get free and clippers frequently cut into the skin of the animal causing pain and large wounds, which may go untreated. Other countries employing cruel shearing practices include New Zealand (pictured).

Plucking

Another cruel process used to extract the wool from the rabbit is plucking. Plucking is favoured on commercial Angora farms because it ensures longer fibres are pulled from the rabbit, which are required for spinning purposes. This process may involve physically plucking the wool from the skin of the animal, leaving the rabbit in agony and in a state of shock. The French breed is one such breed of Angora rabbit that has the wool pulled from it’s body.

Unwanted Rabbits

Male rabbits produce less wool than female rabbits, therefore more females are kept on Angora farms. The unwanted males are cast aside and killed, usually at birth. When rabbits have passed their prime, they are slaughtered for their fur pelts. Millions of dollars are made every year from selling the fur pelts and making them into coats, jackets, handbags, trims and shoes. Even some Angora wool items may actually be made from the animals fur. The most common method of killing a fur bearing animal in China is to skin it alive. Once the skin has been removed, the animal is thrown into a pile and left to die an excruciating death.

Alternatives

While alternative methods of Angora fibre production do exist, they are far less frequently employed in comparison with the intensive rearing of Angora rabbits. One of the alternative production methods is keeping rabbits in fields or large spaces where they can run around, socialise and play as they would naturally. These rabbits are not killed for their pelts and are able to live out their full lives. While they may not be strapped down to a table, the rabbits are still sheared or plucked and cannot escape this unpleasantry.

Action

Always choosing to avoid purchasing Angora, even if the label says the wool or fibre was produced ethically, will help spare the endless suffering of rabbits. While there are far more humane alternatives to the intensive rearing of rabbits, it is often impossible to tell whether the label is telling the truth. Companies often make claims to sell their products and will resort to mislabelling an item if it means more consumers will purchase the product. There are many non-animal clothing materials currently used in the fashion world that will make you feel soft and warm. These materials include cotton, polyester fleece, faux fur, synthetic shearling and acrylic. All of these materials provide a high quality alternative to Angora wool and make Angora an unnecessary fibre.