Breaking: First-Ever Investigation Into Wool Farm With Ties to H&M Group Reveals Extreme Cruelty to Sheep

For Immediate Release:
April 27, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Just-released footage from the first-ever PETA Asia investigation into a NATIVA-certified wool operation in South Africa reveals rampant cruelty to and abuse of sheep, including workers who kicked and stomped on frightened sheep, dragged them by their legs, and left them with gaping wounds after shearing. The farm sells its wool through a broker that supplies H&M Group with “responsibly” sourced wool.

In the disturbing video, workers can be seen kicking sheep in the head and body, hitting them in the face with shearing equipment, beating them with a piece of wood, and picking up and dragging lambs by their front legs. One worker dropped his knee onto a ram’s neck, hitting the animal’s head on the floor. Others sheared the sheep quickly and carelessly, slicing their skin and leaving them bloody in the process. The investigator documented a dead lamb on the farm and a lamb with a maggot-infested wound, which the farmer reported was due to a jackal bite. The farm is also certified by the misleadingly named Responsible Wool Standard.

“Every PETA investigation into wool entities around the world has exposed that terrified sheep are routinely beaten, kicked, and sliced to pieces, no matter what humane-washing label is slapped on their wool,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on H&M to get cruelly obtained wool out of its products and urges consumers everywhere to choose vegan fabrics, because it’s the only way to ensure that animals aren’t tormented for clothing.”

Sheep are highly social animals who form strong bonds with each other. They grow depressed if isolated from their flock and communicate their emotions through facial expressions, just like humans. PETA entities have now released 17 exposés of over 150 wool industry operations in seven countries on four continents—revealing that even on self-proclaimed “ethical” and “responsible” farms, extreme cruelty and violence are rampant.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.