Stella Drops Wool Supplier Guilty Of Animal Abuse

Proving once again that she's as passionate about animal rights as she is about designing beautiful clothes, Stella McCartney cut ties with her wool supplier after reports surfaced that the company mistreated its sheep. The British designer wasted no time in dropping the Argentinian supplier of Patagonian wool once the animal abuse came to light through disturbing video provided by PETA. McCartney took to her Instagram to not only announce the news, but to also voice out her heartbreak over the mistreatment of animals:

I am very saddened to report that we have had to cease sourcing some of our sustainable wool from Ovis 21 in Patagonia. It was born as an amazing initiative to help protect a million acres of endangered grasslands in Patagonia whilst looking after the welfare of animals. Unfortunately, after conducting our own investigation in Argentina, following a very distressful viewing of footage provided by the great guys at @officialpeta, we found out that 1 of the 26 ranches we used source sustainable wool there, mistreated its sheep. It is one too many.

A longtime advocate for the rights and ethical treatment of animals, McCartney has established a highly successful fashion label that doesn't rely on the use of animal products such as fur and leather. Even though she has previously spoken about the challenges of being an animal-friendly brand, McCartney has remained one of the most sought after designers, especially by fashionable Hollywood stars, including Sandra Bullock and stylish up-and-comers like Cara Delevigne.

And yet, despite her high fashion cred, A-list circle of friends, and the fact that she's the daughter of a Beatle, McCartney's greatest accomplishment and most admirable quality is her unwavering support for animals and pushing for cruelty-free and environmentally-conscious fashion. "I am devastated by the news but more determined than ever to fight for animal rights in fashion together and monitor even more closely all suppliers involved in this industry to end all innocent lives," she said.

Update: Patagonia issued a statement in response to the disturbing PETA footage concerning the sheep's mistreatment and has ceased its partnership with its wool supplier Ovis 21. According to Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario, "It is impossible to ensure immediate changes to objectionable practices on Ovis 21 ranches, and we have therefore made the decision that we will no longer buy wool from them. This is a difficult decision, but it’s the right thing to do... We apologize for the harm done in our name. We will continue to update you on our progress to do better."

Images: stellamccartney/Instagram (3)