Annotations - animal cruelty

Naadam is the first ethical and cruelty-free cashmere brand in the market! How are they doing it right? Beautifully and mindfully! All animals are hand-combed (not sheared!) and are cared for and treated humanely as a WAY OF LIFE, not merely a practice.

The "way of life" relates to #pastoralism-livestock-wellbeing but the agency here is attributed to Naadam, as opposed to the herders themselves. The implied claim is that these practices are new (humane treatment, mindfulness, combing), though they are positioned against something that is not explicitly spelled out (except for shearing, which does not actually apply to cashmere goats).

I haven’t worn cashmere or any other type of wool in years because of the cruel animal practices behind the industry (animals having their tails cut off, left with wounds open, bleeding to death, etc)

#animal-cruelty -- see also PETA. These practices exist but the question of their "cruelty" would be disputed by many herders.

Cashmere goats deemed no longer pro

inflicting pain, psychological suffering. These descriptions reinforce the image of cashmere goat production as being barbaric: it is clumsy (the "attempt to stun" with a hammer rather than a dedicated tool), dirty (the "filthy kill floor"), and inappropriately slow.

Goats left with bloody cuts from the hair-removal process received no pain relief or veterinary care. One worker simply poured rice wine into an animal’s wound.

inflicting pain, lack of appropriate care

Eyewitnesses saw workers hold down and step on frightened goats, bending their legs into unnatural positions as they tore out their hair using sharp metal combs.

inflicting pain, psychological suffering

H&M decided to stop using cashmere after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, told the company about an undercover investi­ gation it conducted at slaugh­ terhouses and facilities in Mongolia and China where hair is removed from the goats. The investigation al­ leged the goats were treated cruelly when their hair was collected and when they were killed for their meat. “PETA has made us aware that there are animal-welfare issues in the production of cashmere,” H&M said, “and we agree with them that they need to be addressed.” In a video taken during PETA’s investiga­ tion, braying cashmere goats are held down while metal combs are raked over their hair

See the PETA video and related articles

As cashmere production has surged, its environmental footprint is attracting scrutiny from governments and environmental groups. The industry has been more sensitive to charges that supply chains harm the environment or encourage animal cruelty—and more active in addressing problems. These moves are seen as attractive to younger shoppers who are more attuned to the issue.

(the "younger consumers") -- The key point here is that the fashion industry feels scrutiny from governments, activist groups, and consumers.