Wishing the Duchess of Cambridge a Happy Birthday and a Wool-Free Winter!

A birthday gift that’s equal parts chic and animal-friendly is on its way to Kate Middleton, who turns 33 tomorrow. We’re giving her a high-end faux-wool coat from New York vegan boutique VauteCouture. It’s a classic piece with all the elegance and style that the duchess is well accustomed to but with none of the cruelty that comes with wool. An international exposé of the wool industry in the US and Australia – the source of 90 per cent of the world’s merino wool – revealed that workers violently punched scared sheep in the face, stamped and stood on the animals’ heads and necks and beat and jabbed them in the face with electric clippers and a hammer. Some sheep even died from the abuse, including one whose neck was twisted. Fashion is about more than looking good – it’s also a statement about who you are and what you stand for. By wearing her new vegan coat, the duchess will be setting a great example and sending British women the message that they can have top-notch style without hurting animals. Photo: Balarama Heller