Victory! Beauty Brand Morphe Bans Badger-Hair Make-Up Brushes
Huge news! Morphe has banned make–up brushes made with badger hair following pressure from over 150,000 supporters of PETA and our international affiliates, who sent e–mails and contacted the company on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The beauty brand, known for its affordable, professional-quality brushes, announced that it will no longer source or sell badger hair, joining nearly 90 other brands in doing so – including Kent Brushes, Floris London, Penhaligon‘s, Procter & Gamble, Bonanza, and Beau Brummell.
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This victory comes after PETA Asia released the horrifying findings of its investigation into the Chinese badger-brush industry, showing that “protected“ badgers are illegally hunted in the wild using snares and other cruel methods and that others are bred and confined on farms before being violently killed. Their hair is then used as bristles in brushes for make-up, shaving, and painting.
After viewing the exposé, a number of Instagram influencers supported the campaign by pledging never to use badger-hair brushes and by calling on their followers to contact Morphe. Every single e-mail, tweet, and comment on Facebook or Instagram helped bring about this victory for badgers.
Where Does Badger Hair Come From?
Badger-hair brushes are a product of the exploitation and slaughter of intelligent, sensitive badgers. On Chinese farms, animals are held in cramped wire cages exposed to the elements, and the stressful conditions often lead to injuries and severe psychological disorders. Eyewitnesses saw workers beating crying badgers over the head with anything they could find, including a chair leg, before slitting their throats. One animal continued to move for a full minute after his throat was cut, and another was missing a foot, which the farm owner attributed to a fight with a badger caged nearby.
Badgers are extremely social animals who, in nature, construct elaborate underground burrow systems, some of which are centuries old and have been inhabited by many generations of the same badger clan. They‘re meticulous animals who have separate rooms for sleeping and for giving birth as well as designated outdoor “bathroom“ areas. Their cruel slaughter is completely inhumane and unjustifiable.
What You Can Do
This victory shows that positive change can take place when we stand together against cruelty to animals. If you‘d like to be part of a growing movement to do exactly that, join our Action Team!
Help end the needless suffering of badgers by buying only brushes made with high-performing synthetic bristles, which are cruelty-free and in many ways superior to their animal-hair counterparts. Check out EcoTools, The Body Shop, and Kat Von D, which all offer such alternatives. You can see the full list of animal-friendly make-up brushes here.
