Cruelty Free

Unfortunately we are well aware of the horrors of wool industry in Australia, U.S and China. We’d like you to know that Friendsheep is cruelty free certified by Leaping Bunny (https://www.leapingbunny.org/content/friendsheep). Our wool comes from sheep humanely treated and sheared. Our organic wool is certified cruelty free, it is sourced from a small consortium of family owned farms in New Zealand where sheep are ethically treated and no chemicals, hormones or pesticides are ever used, and of course no mulesing is practiced, ever.

Unlike in Australia and China, in New Zealand farmers operate under a range of regulations that ensure very high standards of environmental protection, sustainability, animal welfare and social responsibility. New Zealand's climate is mild and sheep graze free-range in open pasture all year round. There is no flystrike, and mulesing is not practiced. Livestock exportation from New Zealand is prohibited, and this prevents the practice of horror trips on cargo ships around the world. 

New Zealand also leads the world in shearing technique and ability. Sheep grow wool continuously and need to be sheared once a year to better allow lambing and avoid them becoming uncomfortable, stressed, and eventually ill. Highly skilled craftsmen ensure that shearing is quick and pain-free to cause minimal stress on the animal. Our farmers believe that well-treated sheep live a happier life and will grow better wool, so they make sure their flocks are well looked after.