Sustainability champion Stella McCartney has feathers on her banned list and is calling on fellow international designers to sign PETA’s Feather-Free Pledge not to use them in their collections.

It follows the release of the animal rights group’s exposé revealing that the birds exploited by the feather industry “endure a miserable life and a violent death”. 

In a series of just-released social media videos, McCartney “open[s] eyes and hearts among the brand’s millions of global followers to show the suffering that birds endure for feathers”.

The designer hopes the releases will “lead the charge for true creativity in fashion by recreating the look, lightness, movement, and insulation of feathers with vegan materials”. 

She said: “Every year, the fashion industry plucks and kills millions of birds for their feathers, which is not only inhumane but also unnecessary. My Autumn 2024 collection shows the desirability and possibilities of cruelty-free alternatives that are kind to animals and Mother Earth. I hope it inspires you to join me and PETA in pledging to end the use of feathers in fashion and beyond.”

Her collection features BioPuff, a material made from bulrushes “whose use contributes to the regeneration of wetlands in Cambridgeshire and helps lower greenhouse gas emissions and boost biodiversity”.

PETA notes that in addition to McCartney, top designers including Felder Felder, Eirinn Hayhow, Richard Malone, Patrick McDowell, VIN + OMI, Pīferi, Sarah Regensburger, and Joshua James Small have already signed its pledge, “while many others are opting for luxurious faux feathers made from bamboo, recycled materials, and metals”.