Australian Fashion Week (AFW) is banning all wildlife-derived materials, including fur, exotic animal skins, and feathers, as reported by the World Animal Protection Organisation on Tuesday. The new policy, developed by the Australian Fashion Council in collaboration with Collective Fashion Justice, comes into immediate effect, making the ongoing AFW, held from 12 to 16 May, the first edition to fully exclude wildlife materials from its runways.
The decision aligns AFW with a growing number of global and domestic fashion events adopting animal-free policies. Similar measures have previously been implemented at Melbourne Fashion Week, the Melbourne Fashion Festival, as well as international fashion weeks in Berlin, Copenhagen and London.
“This latest announcement is a reminder that the fashion industry can be a positive force for wildlife, changing the lives of crocodiles, ostriches, minks and more,” said Suzanne Milthorpe, Head of Campaigns at World Animal Protection Australia. “We are seeing a domino effect of fashion events in Australia and around the world rejecting exotic skins, feathers and fur. With this new wildlife-friendly policy, Australian Fashion Week joins the growing list of runways embracing innovative, cruelty-free alternatives.”
