Victory! Nike and Cole Haan Ban Exotic Skins

After reading PETA’s news release announcing that footwear giant Nike has banned exotic skins, I had to pinch myself to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. I’m not, and neither are you. According to a newly revised policy, Nike and its upscale affiliate Cole Haan will stop selling skins from alligators, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, ostriches, fish, and marine mammals.

This fabulous decision was made after the footwear giants were sent PETA Asia’s undercover video footage, which details the gruesome, intense suffering that the exotic-skins industry inflicts on animals. We asked Nike to “just do it.” And it did!

Nike is the world’s leading shoe manufacturer. Its 2009 sales topped $19 billion, and it operates in more than 160 countries, with approximately 675 Nike-owned retail stores operating worldwide. Cole Haan stores operate in Canada, Japan, and 25 U.S. states. Nike and Cole Haan are world leaders in trendy footwear, and now they’ve joined H&M and Overstock.com as trendsetters for animals.

After you kick up your cruelty-free heels, please take a moment to thank the companies for their compassionate decision.

Written by Karin Bennett