Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has removed all angora wool products from her luxury lifestyle brand, Goop, following a sustained campaign by animal rights organisation PETA. The move comes after the group publicly pressured the star to stop selling items made with wool sourced from rabbits in Chinese factories, where investigations have uncovered extreme animal suffering.
The Campaign Against Cruelty
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a targeted social media effort to convince Goop to ban angora. The campaign featured disturbing footage showing rabbits screaming in pain as workers violently ripped their fur out by hand or shaved them, leaving the animals bloody and terrified. This practice is the standard method for collecting angora wool in China, the world's primary producer.
In a letter sent to Paltrow in September, PETA President Tracy Reiman pointed out that Goop was lagging behind the industry. She wrote, 'Goop says it doesn’t mind being the tip of the spear – that it goes first so others don’t have to. But in the case of angora, Goop is last.' Reiman urged the brand to catch up with the hundreds of other major retailers that have already implemented bans.
Goop's Swift Response
The pressure appears to have worked. A specific angora sweater, which Paltrow herself modelled in an Instagram video back in March, has now vanished from the Goop website. The item was previously listed with a significant price reduction, from an original £603 down to £180. Now, customers searching for the product are met with a message stating, 'Oops! This link leads to an empty page.'
During the height of the campaign, Reiman did not hold back, stating, 'Clinging to cruel angora wool leaves Gwyneth Paltrow one among none, as anyone with an ounce of compassion wouldn’t be caught dead with it.' PETA's hard-hitting message ultimately struck a chord, leading to the product's removal.
A Wider Industry Shift
Goop's decision aligns with a broader movement within the fashion industry against angora wool. To date, more than 425 mainstream brands—including giants like Zara, H&M, Gap, Burberry, and Hugo Boss—have officially banned its use. This collective action has had a substantial economic impact, with Chinese angora exports plummeting by over 80 percent.
While angora is no longer available, Goop's holiday offerings still include controversial items. The brand is currently promoting a £1,000 sex toy advent calendar from luxury lingerie maker Kiki de Montparnasse. Featured in the 'Pleasure Seeker's Gift Guide', the calendar contains nine drawers hiding an array of high-end intimate products. These include a black leather play paddle, gold-plated handcuff wristlets, and 20 feet of bondage rope.
This is not the first time Goop has faced scrutiny over its products. In 2020, the brand released a £57 candle named 'This Smells Like My Vagina', which generated significant backlash. More recently, the 2023 gift guide featured a £300 block of Parmesan cheese and an £11,496 gold-plated vibrator, demonstrating the company's continued penchant for unconventional and high-priced items.
