As the “black sheep” wool jumper of animal-lover the late Diana Spencer goes on auction at Sotheby’s today and in recognition of the princess’ philanthropy and compassionate nature, PETA rushed a letter to the auction house, calling for the iconic item to instead be donated to PETA to support its campaign to protect sheep.
“Diana cared greatly for animals of all species and was known for her opposition to hunting and refusal to wear fur,” writes PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. “Giving this woollen item to a charity to use for educational purposes would be a fitting tribute.”
As revealed in 15 exposés, PETA entities have documented cruelty to sheep at wool operations worldwide. Even on deceptively named “sustainable” and glaringly irresponsible “responsible” farms, workers can be seen beating, stamping on, cutting open, and slitting the throats of visibly terrified sheep, who struggle as they are shorn. Wool workers in the UK are no exception – in 2020, for example, a Scottish farmer pleaded guilty to charges of cruelty to animals.
Wool also has an alarming impact on the planet due to the large volume of methane sheep produce and the huge amounts of resources the industry uses. The Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibres has ranked wool as a “Class E” fibre – the worst category possible. Natural eco- and animal-friendly vegan wool made from organic cotton, linen, Tencel, hemp, and soya has a much lower environmental footprint.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
