A well-known luxury brand has come under criticism for the unethical production process of its crocodile leather bags.
Last month, the Korea Association for Animal Protection held a press conference in Gangnam, Seoul, outside a luxury store to address their concerns. The organization highlighted that while many fashion brands are increasingly pledging to stop using animal leather to present themselves as humane and sustainable, this particular brand’s sales are still climbing.
The group criticized the brand for the brutal process involved in skinning crocodiles, describing it as “horrific” and challenging to watch. They detailed the procedure, which consists of restraining a live crocodile by its snout, cutting the back of its head, making an incision along its spine to the base of the tail, and removing the skin.
The organization further explained that crocodiles are kept in severely cramped conditions to produce high-quality leather. These confined spaces prevent them from moving freely, depriving them of their natural behaviors until they are slaughtered in a barren and unsanitary environment.
In their closing remarks, the organization called for an end to crocodile slaughter, asserting, “Crocodiles are sentient wild animals that deserve to live freely in their natural habitat. They should not be captured and killed for the sake of our handbags.”