Sheep are gentle individuals who, like humans, want to live and feel loved and also feel pain, fear, and loneliness. Yet because there’s a market for their fleece and skin, they’re treated as mere wool-producing machines. Although plenty of durable, stylish, and warm vegan fabrics are already available, PETA is setting out to save sheep by encouraging the development of a vegan wool material that is visually, texturally, and functionally akin to or better than sheep’s wool. That’s why PETA is offering a $1 million award to the first entrant who creates such a material and has it adopted and sold by a major clothing brand.
The Wool Industry Harms Sheep and the Environment
Disturbing eyewitness video footage gathered in 14 PETA exposés of 117 wool operations on four continents reveals that workers in the global wool industry beat, stomp on, kick, mutilate, and throw terrified sheep. This abuse is knitted into the wool coats, hats, socks, and other garments sold in stores.
Among animals, sheep are second only to cows when it comes to the production of the greenhouse gas methane. The huge flocks of sheep bred in the wool industry produce enormous amounts of manure, which pollutes the water, land, and air. Sheep farming can have detrimental effects on surrounding ecosystems. Studies have shown that sheep “dip,” a toxic chemical used to rid sheep of external parasites, can poison nearby waterways and kill fish.
Vegan Wool Challenge Details
To enter, read the complete challenge rules* and then complete the form below. The form must be submitted online, and vegan wool samples must be mailed to PETA at 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 by July 28, 2023, in order to be considered.
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. It is possible that no challenge winner will be selected.