FOUR PAWS launched a targeted campaign at the end of April 2022 to encourage Nike to #StopCruelWool and take responsibility for the sheep they source wool from. A report we published in mid-April showed that Nike uses merino wool, however, unlike its main competitors Puma and Adidas – until recently, Nike, the leader in sportswear could not claim to sell verified mulesing-free sportswear.

It seems Nike paid attention to our campaign and the demands of our supporters! In May 2023, the sportwear giant pub publicly stated it will only use certified wool sourced with Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) from now on which excludes the brutal procedure of mulesing. 

• Mulesing is the biggest mutilation farmed animals are subjected to. It is common practice in Australia – the biggest wool producing country for the global clothing market.
• New shocking mulesing footage showing the mutilation practice was recently published and we have shared it with Nike, the media and our supporters to bring more awareness to the cruelty that lambs are enduring in the biggest wool producing country.
• Brands who do not rely on full supply chain traceability that includes animal audits on farms cannot claim mulesing-free status for their merino wool based products.
• The FOUR PAWS wool report has highlighted that merino wool is increasingly used in sportswear and even though the risk of mulesed wool is extremely high, there is no evidence that Nike communicated or took any reliable steps to exclude this mutilation practice and protect the lambs in their supply chain.
• Nike is the biggest sportwear brand worldwide. With great profitability comes great responsibility. A commitment from Nike to only source certified mulesing-free wool will not only positively impact the fate of thousands of lambs but also encourage other market players to follow suit.

Tens of thousands of supporters joined FOUR PAWS in the fight for better animal welfare in the sports apparel market. Together, we can create a kinder world for animals!