M&S has reversed its decision to ban the use of alpaca wool in its fashion line-up.

The high-flying retail giant said it would be allowing the use of alpaca yarn in its clothes after banning the fibre in 2020 following pressure from campaign group Peta, The Telegraph reported.

The U-turn follows the launch of the Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) in supply chains, which M&S said “gives us the confidence we need to start sourcing this fibre again”.

It said the use of this certification, which launched in 2021 as a voluntary programme, “will be the minimum standard for all alpaca fibre in M&S products. We value the quality of this fibre as well as the traditional know-how linked to its production.”

M&S’s initial alpaca wool ban followed an investigation by the animal rights group that highlighted “concerns around the welfare of animals that are farmed to produce alpaca [wool]” and, as such, it was committed to phasing out the material.

M&S had previously used the material in its jumpers and coats.

Although Peta has yet to comment on the retailer’s reintroduction of the material it’s expected to draw criticism from campaigners, who’ve previously claimed that the RAS “fails to prevent animal suffering”.