More than 340 fashion brands, including Adidas, H&M, Hugo Boss and Kmart, have committed to moving away from wool sourced from mulesed sheep, while a new report warns Australia risks being left behind.
This week, Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell will table a petition signed by more than 500,000 people calling for the practice to be banned.
So, what is mulesing?
Mulesing
Mulesing, also known as live lamb cutting, was developed in the 1920s by Australian farmer John Mules.
The practice involves restraining lambs and cutting away strips of skin from around their tail and hindquarters to reduce the risk of flystrike, a condition where flies lay eggs in a sheep's skin and maggots feed on the animal's flesh.
Some woolgrowers use pain relief or anaesthetics during the procedure, although animal welfare groups argue the practice remains painful and should be phased out.
Boycott
More than 340 fashion brands, including Zara, Hugo Boss, Country Road, and Kmart have committed to sourcing non-mulesed wool.
The move has largely been driven by animal welfare concerns, with a 2024 YouGov poll commissioned by Four Paws finding 80% of people supported companies phasing out wool sourced from mulesed sheep.
The Australian Government has also warned that overseas markets are becoming less accepting of mulesed wool, noting a European Union ban on such products is "not unlikely".
Petition
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More than 500,000 people have signed a petition calling for mulesing to be banned.
The petition, created by animal welfare organisation Four Paws, will be tabled in Victorian Parliament on Thursday by Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell.
Purcell told TDA she is "hopeful that here in Victoria we could be the first state" to outlaw the practice.
Alternatives
Researchers, including those at CSIRO, say breedingsheep with fewer skin folds around theirhindquarters can reduce the risk of flystrike without the need for mulesing.
Purcell said the debate was no longer about whether alternatives exist.
"We don't need to have that argument about alternatives anymore," she said.
However, she said farmers would need education and support to help transition to alternative practices.
Responses
Not everyone supports banning mulesing.
Industry groups, including Australian Wool Innovation, are instead focusing on helping growers transition to non-mulesed sheep through breeding programs and trials.
Last year, the WA Government said live lamb cutting "remains an important tool to manage animal welfare outcomes for many sheep producers", while also committing to support farmers transitioning away from the practice.
