Press release: 11th August 2008
Two high street giants go head to head in a bid to be named the UK's most animal-friendly fashion retailer
The RSPCA reveals the fashion nominees for the 2008 Good Business Awards
Topshop will go head to head with M&S in a bid to win the fashion category of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008. The two high street retailers were today announced as finalists for the awards alongside ethical retailers Romp, Izzy Lane and Natural Collection.
The five fashion retailers were chosen from entries that included a number of high street retailers and independent fashion companies, and have been selected for their outstanding commitment and innovative approach towards achieving the highest standards of animal welfare.
Despite the UK's high street being hit by the credit crunch (recent British Retail Consortium figures showed June's like-for-like sales were 0.4% down from a year ago) ethical fashion is still going from strength to strength. The high level of entries to the 2008 RSPCA Good Business Awards fashion category is an indication of how animal welfare is making real inroads and becoming an integral part of the fashion industry's ethical agenda. The RSPCA is now calling on other companies to follow suit and place animal welfare at the heart of their business agendas.
Wayne Hemingway, one of the fashion category judges says: “We were highly impressed by the calibre of entries this year. Our finalists demonstrate that with dedication and passion, it is possible for fashion retailers to establish profitable business models that position animal welfare at the core. It was truly inspiring to see that welfare friendly can equal fashionable and profitable.
"However, there is still much progress to be made across the industry as a whole, and we now want to urge more high street retailers to follow suit and establish sustainable welfare policies that are so vital to an ethical business agenda."
Finalists for the fashion category of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008 (in alphabetical order) are:
- Izzy Lane for its beautiful collection of luxurious knitwear that combines a passion for fashion and animals through commitment to animal husbandry and sustainability – the company's sheep sanctuary saved 500 sheep in 2006/2007.
- M&S for its product traceability, their long-standing policy against the use of real fur in any of their products, continued commitment to ethical sourcing and for setting high standards in the high street.
- Natural Collection for its extensive collection of eco, organic and fairly traded fashion for men and women that combines fashion, comfort and respect towards people and planet.
- Romp for its inspirational couture designs that are a result of its continued dedication to animal husbandry and a certified organic system that incorporates manufacture, processes, and plant and bug dyeing.
- Topshop for its commitment to animal welfare by ensuring all suppliers have signed up to the 'Declaration of Ethical Compliance: Animal Products,' - designed to focus requirements when sourcing animal products.
David Bowles, Head of External Affairs for the RSPCA says: "In the fourth year of the RSPCA Good Business Awards, I am delighted to see more companies than ever before going the extra mile to include animal welfare as part of their ethical business policy."
“However, these are very much small steps - there are still giant leaps to be made to improve animal welfare in the fashion industry, and we want to encourage companies to further this progress over the course of the next year.”
Note to editors
- The fashion category is in association with Drapers. The other categories in the RSPCA Good Business Awards are Cosmetics, Food Retailers and Restaurants.
- The independent panel of judges for the fashion category of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008 comprises: Lisa Armstrong, Fashion Editor of the Times; Wayne Hemingway, designer and co-founder of Red or Dead; and Shelly Vella, Fashion Director of Cosmopolitan magazine.
- Entrants to the fashion category are judged on the basis of their practices in the following areas:
- Selling, sourcing and labelling of fur (including Karakul lambskin or astrakhan)..
- Sourcing of leather and other animal skin (cow or sheep hide, snake, crocodile, ostrich).
- Innovation over the past 12 months in relation to animal welfare .
- Company aspirations regarding animal welfare
For media enquiries, please contact Vaneetha Balasubramaniam or Nicki Akers at 77PR on 0207 492 0977. Email vaneetha.b@77pr.co.uk or nicki.akers@77pr.co.uk or the RSPCA press office on 0300 123 0244 or press@rspca.org.uk.
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