Alicia Silverstone Exposes the Cruelty of Down

American actor and founder of The Kind Life, Alicia Silverstone is no stranger to helping animals in any way that she can. From her vegan diet to her PETA public service announcement, Alicia is always going above and beyond for animals who are harmed in any way. Now, she is exposing the cruelty of an industry that has previously received little attention: down.

Many birds used for down have their feathers yanked out of their skin while they are still alive—sometimes several times a year. The terrified birds are pinned down while hurried workers rip fistfuls of feathers off their sensitive bodies, often plucking them so violently that they actually tear open the birds’ skin and then sew up the wounds using a needle and thread, without painkillers.

In addition to damaging birds, buying down supports the cruelty of the foie gras industry, in which birds have tubes rammed down their throats and food pumped into their stomachs in order to increase the size of their livers. Foie gras producers boost their profits by selling the feathers from these force-fed birds. No matter where it comes from, down is a product of cruelty to birds.

The production of down-filled duvets and jackets causes immense suffering. Join Alicia in buying only down-free products and watch her new video showing the cruelties behind this bloody industry.

Posted by Edwina Baier