Greta Thunberg Under Fire for Wearing Wool in ‘Vogue’ Cover Article—PETA Says Hang Tight!

To answer your question, yes, PETA is aware of Greta Thunberg’s Vogue Scandinavia cover article in which she is pictured wearing wool. We’ve been bombarded with complaints from concerned people who know what goes on in those shearing sheds, on the trucks, on the live-export boats that carry the sheep to the Middle East for slaughter, and elsewhere. And while we applaud the overwhelming concern for the welfare of sheep and the planet, we know that Greta—as someone who is heartbroken and angry about not only environmental devastation but also the meat industry and its cruelty to animals—cannot have had any idea. We need everyone to open their eyes to the deceit that is “humane washing” and never fall victim to it. PETA has sent Greta the videos from our undercover investigations, and we trust that she will watch them and see what’s really going on.

The wool industry would have you believe that shearing sheep is akin to giving the animals a haircut, but 14 shocking PETA exposés reveal what they actually endure:

No matter the farm, no matter the continent, when undercover investigators for PETA and our international affiliates have gone into shearing sheds, they’ve found sheep slammed onto the floor, kicked, and kneed; their necks twisted; and their bodies cut to shreds. The disturbing eyewitness video footage—gathered in 14 exposés of 117 wool operations on four continents—is impossible to deny and reveals that workers in the global wool industry beat, stomped on, kicked, mutilated, and threw defenseless sheep.

This abuse is knitted into the wool coats, hats, socks, and other garments sold in stores around the world.

Remember, being vegan isn’t about perfection—it’s about doing your best for animals, the planet, and yourself.

We believe that once Greta is made aware of the information below, she’ll reject wool, as it deserves to be shunned. We believe that you will, too. When we know better, we can do better for animals, the environment, and one another.

From climate change to water pollution to the eradication of wildlife (including with devastating poisons like 1080), the wool industry is killing the Earth, just as the leather and fur industries are.

Sheep farming is an environmental disaster. Sheep are second only to cows when it comes to producing methane.

Sheep farming can have enormous, detrimental effects on ecosystems. Studies have shown how sheep “dip”—a toxic chemical used to rid sheep of parasites—can poison nearby waterways and kill fish and other aquatic life. The enormous flocks of sheep bred by the wool industry produce huge amounts of manure, which pollute the water, land, and air. And they give off methane, a greenhouse gas.

Sheep are intelligent animals who can recognize dozens of individuals from photographs, and seeing a picture of a friend can even calm them in a stressful situation. They can remember faces for up to two years, using the same neural pathways that humans do. It’s speciesist to believe that they don’t experience the same complex emotions as the cats and dogs with whom we lovingly share our homes—or as we do.

Don’t buy the humane-washing lie:

Make sure you aren’t supporting the wool industry’s cruelty to sheep, by choosing only sweaters and other garments made from vegan fabrics, such as hemp, microfiber, bamboo, or linen. Need help getting started?

Check Out These Stylish Vegan Sweaters