When people think of goose down, they imagine soft, warm feathers. Indeed, that much is true. Down is the soft layer of feathers closest to a bird’s skin. You can find them in items like clothing and big, fluffy comforters. Unfortunately, as with most things, consumers only see the final product. They don’t take the time to see how these beautiful feathers are actually acquired. But that’s not unusual. If people made an effort to find out how most things are produced, we’d probably have more vegans in this world.
What many people don’t realize is that the down industry is actually quite cruel and brutal. I imagine they picture a scenario where the feathers have been naturally shed by the geese and workers come by and sweep them up. I wish it was that simple and pain-free. But unfortunately, employees on these goose farms actually pull fistfuls of feathers out of live birds. This causes considerable pain, fear, and even death for the geese. Often, because of the brutal ‘method’ of removing the feathers, geese are left with bloody, gaping wounds. Then, believe it or not, workers will sew the birds’ skin back together – without anesthetics or any medical training.
The best way to stop this industry is to buy cruelty-free products and to spread the word. Please take the time to watch and share the video below. It’s horrible and graphic, but necessary viewing.
Feel Good Style recently listed a nice alternative to down
http://feelgoodstyle.com/2012/04/23/cruelty-in-the-down-industry/