H&M to halt sale of virgin down by 2025

Swedish retail giant H&M has confirmed that it plans to halt the sale of virgin down by the end of 2025. It is now set on transitioning to sourcing only synthetic or post-consumer recycled down for its jackets and home goods.

The company had been facing heightened pressure from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said that H&m’s decision comes after a PETA campaign consisting of celebrity appeals, demonstrations outside H&M stores, shareholder resolutions and letters from over 150,000 PETA supporters.

In a statement to FashionUnited, PETA executive vice president, Tracy Reiman, said: “H&M’s decision is a lifesaving win for ducks and geese and a major first step toward a fabulous animal-free future.

“PETA is celebrating the excellent example of action by H&M and urges retailers everywhere to follow its lead and stop bankrolling the cruel down industry.”

H&M confirmed the news in a statement to WWD, to which it noted that it already uses post-consumer recycled down for 90 percent of its products.

The retailer previously worked with PETA on a collaborative ‘Co-Exist Story’ in 2021, which featured Flwrdwn, a vegan down made of wildflowers that was used for the collection’s puffer jackets.