For Kate Middleton’s Birthday, PETA U.K. Wraps Her up in Style

If the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge go out on the town to celebrate Kate Middleton’s 33rd birthday on January 9, Kate might step out in a new high-end look, courtesy of PETA U.K. This PETA entity sent the duchess a faux-wool coat from New York vegan boutique Vaute Couture, a classic piece with all the elegance and style that made the duchess a fashion icon, with none of the cruelty that comes with wool.

In a letter accompanying the coat, PETA U.K. made Kate aware of PETA’s international exposé of the wool industry in the U.S. and Australia—the source of 90 percent of the world’s merino wool—which revealed that workers violently punched scared sheep in the face, stomped and stood on the animals’ heads and necks, and beat and jabbed them in the face with electric clippers and a hammer. Some sheep even died from the abuse, including one whose neck was twisted.

By wearing her new faux-wool coat, the duchess will set a great example for fashionable women the world over and send the message that they can have top-notch style without hurting animals.

Find out how you can join in the #WoolFreeWinter campaign here.