P&G Bans Badger-Hair Shaving Brushes After Horrifying Cruelty Exposed

After PETA Asia released the horrifying findings of its investigation into China’s badger-brush industry, Procter & Gamble immediately banned badger-hair shaving brushes, pledging to use only animal-friendly synthetic bristles.

The consumer goods giant said it was “very disturbed to learn of these terrible practices” and believes it “can play a role in helping to stop [them]”. As a result, it decided to stop sourcing badger hair for its The Art of Shaving brand immediately.

The eyewitness investigation – the first of its kind – revealed 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 commonly used as bristles in brushes for painting, make-up, and shaving, which are sold by a number of companies.

Workers were seen beating crying badgers over the head with anything they could find, including a chair leg, before slitting their throats. Eyewitnesses documented that one animal continued to move for a full minute after his or her throat was cut and that another was missing a foot, which the farm owner attributed to a fight with a badger caged nearby. Animals on the farms were held in tiny wire cages exposed to the elements, and the stressful conditions often led to injuries and severe psychological disorders.

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

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.