Warning: This article contains links to distressing footage.
A controversial investigation by animal welfare charity PETA has accused the wool suppliers of Fjallraven, Helly Hansen and several other outdoor brands of animal cruelty.
Claiming to go undercover on 11 New Zealand farms, PETA investigators have released film showing workers beating and stomping on sheep, and neglecting serious injuries, among other unethical practices.
PETA claims these farms produce ZQ-certified wool used by top brands like Fjallraven and Helly Hansen, which is supposed to be ethically sourced.
PETA said the brands were using "sham certifications to pull the wool over the eyes of caring consumers".
“On these humane-certified farms, sheep wraith in terror and pain while shearers pin them down by stepping on their necks,” it said in a statement.
“They’re slammed onto hardwood floors. Farmers trained by ZQ on how to handle the animals hit them with whatever is available, often just with their fists.”
The New Zealand Merino Wool company claims to verify that its ZQ-certified wool is produced ethically, with animal welfare and care for the environment taken into consideration.
However, PETA is yet to provide evidence that the farms investigated are actually ZQ-certified, nor that they are supplying any of the brands it named.
Only one farm is named in the expose, Hunter Valley Station Farm in Otago. And according to the New Zealand Merino Wool Company, this farm is not, and never has been ZQ-certified. The farm has said it is investigating the allegations.
In a statement issued to Advnture, Fjallraven said it was taking PETA’s claims "very seriously".
“Fjallraven is currently working with its supplier, The New Zealand Merino Company, to investigate these claims and determine whether the agreed-upon standards set by the ZQ certification have been violated,” it said, before re-iterating that the sole named farm was not ZQ-certified.
“Our commitment to animal welfare and ethical sourcing is unwavering. The recent allegations are deeply concerning,” said Fjallraven International CEO Martin Axelhed.
“Ethical sourcing and animal welfare are the foundation of our practices, and we will not compromise on these values.”
The named brands aren't the only ones disputing PETA's claims. Federated Farmers, an advocacy group for New Zealand's farmers has slammed the investigation as a 'disgraceful hit-job'.
"In reality, what you’re seeing in that video is a montage showing some isolated examples of poor practice that most Kiwi farmers simply wouldn’t put up with in their shearing shed," Meat and Wool Chair Toby Williams told the Herald.
"New Zealand farmers have incredibly high animal welfare standards and we take the responsibility of caring for our animals very seriously," he added.
Alongside releasing its claims online, PETA has submitted its findings to the relevant authorities, and New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries has already begun an investigation.
Advnture contacted Helly Hansen yesterday for comment. We'll update this article with any response as we get it.
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