Cruelty of Indian Leather Industry Causes Liz Claiborne to Commit to Not Using Leather from India

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http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2006/july/28/economy/
us_retail_giant_to_boycott_indian_leather.html

US retail giant to boycott Indian leather
Economy

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) American retail giant Liz Claiborne has said that it will not use leather from India because of the ill treatment of animals.

This decision by the retail giant, with annual sales touching $4.8 billion, was announced by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and is seen as a victory for animal rights activists across the country.

Another US retailer Kenneth Cole has also committed not to sell products made out of leather sourced from India, according to a press release.

When PETA US launched its original boycott of Indian leather in 2000, more than 40 major retailers around the world agreed to boycott Indian leather. This move resulted in a loss of $68 million to the Indian leather industry.

PETA India and its worldwide affiliates have re-launched a campaign to boycott Indian leather, which was put on hold when the Indian government and the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) promised to take significant steps to improve transport and slaughter horrors for cows and other animals used for leather. The promise, however, has been broken by both the government and the CLE, the release stated.

PETA India's campaign has gained the support of celebrities all over the world, including the Dalai Lama, Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson and Jackie Chan.