International Campaign Launched After Two New PETA Asia Investigations Reveal Even More Horrific, Pervasive Abuse in Wool Industry

London – Two new PETA video exposés recorded on sheep farms in Australia (the world's largest exporter of wool and a source of wool used by Forever 21) show workers beating petrified sheep in the face, deliberately mutilating them, and cutting their throats while they were fully conscious. PETA is now launching a worldwide campaign against Forever 21 to urge it to stop supporting the abusive wool industry.

One of the videos shows a farm manager carving swathes of flesh from lambs' hindquarters with shears as they struggle and cry out. It also shows workers cutting and burning off their tails with a hot knife and no painkillers. A second video, shot by a PETA Asia eyewitness, reveals even more abuse: shearers are seen striking sheep in the face with sharp metal clippers, kneeling on their stomachs, and throwing them about. One worker bragged that he once "hit one [sheep] so hard I knocked it out. F**ked it under the jaw a bit too hard."

"Forever 21 knowingly supports cruelty to animals by selling clothing that's a product of violence and extreme suffering," says PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. "PETA is appealing to the company to show that it opposes such horrific abuse by going wool-free."

PETA Asia has asked Australian law-enforcement officials to investigate the findings for violations of each state's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and to file appropriate charges.

PETA says that time's up for Forever 21. These new videos mark the 10th and 11th global exposés of the wool industry that PETA US has shared with the company, going as far back as 2014. PETA affiliates have documented cruelty to sheep on 27 farms in Australia and a total of 99 properties on four continents.

PETA's motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to wear." For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.