Italian brand Versace recently put a ban on kangaroo skin in luxury leather products following Australian wildfires and pressure from animal rights campaigners. The wildfires of Australia have scorched over 15 million acres of land and have destroyed over 2,000 homes. The fires have resulted in 27 deaths including firefighters. Half a billion animals have been affected.
LAV recently posted a photo of a Kangaroo on Instagram. The caption in English states, “The fires in Australia have already killed a billion animals, yet the hunt for kangaroos continues. Let’s stop the kangaroo massacre before it’s too late.”
Italy is the biggest importer for Kangaroo skin which is preferred because it is lighter and stronger than cow leather. Versace previously had many products made out of Kangaroo leather including bags and shoes.
Animal activist organization LAV explained that 2.3 million kangaroos are hunted each year. The organization stated, “We welcome Versace’s announcement as a sign of responsibility, today more than ever: the fires that are devastating Australia, in fact, add up to the massacres of hunting, with dramatic consequences for the populations of kangaroos.”
Sources:
- Main Image: Instagram – Planet Pods
