Cornered, bagged and plucked with pliers: shocking footage exposes the cruelty behind fashion's ostrich feathers

World Animal Protection investigation reveals that ostriches are having their feathers pulled out with pliers to supply luxury fashion brands and fast-fashion retailers.

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, World Animal Protection, together with Collective Fashion Justice, released its investigation, Blood Feathers, documenting rare video evidence that feather farms and feather-processing facilities in South Africa are torturing ostriches with pliers for the use of their feathers for fashion.

The report focuses on the animal suffering on commercial ostrich feather farms, the same farms supplying the fashion industry. The investigation focuses on farms in South Africa where 75% of the world's ostrich products are produced, including those made from feathers, meat and skin. 

Key findings include:

• Investigators captured rarely seen footage of feather cutting, where feathers are cut above the bloodline, then later pulled from the skin with pliers.
• At one farm visited, ostriches were described as being live plucked every six months. This practice is prone to bleeding, hence the industry term 'blood feathers'.
• Farms and feather processing facilities in the region confirmed that they supply to YSL, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Chanel, as well as fast fashion giant Shein.
• Investigators saw birds injured, showing aggression and unable to stand. Some were wounded from pecking at each other's eyes and feathers.

In the 2024-25 season, 150,000 ostriches were slaughtered in South Africa for the feather, meat and skin trades. Furthermore, over 150 tonnes of ostrich feathers were exported from South Africa around the globe. The fashion industry often repeats the claim that feathers come from an ostrich's natural moult, but this investigation found it is impossible to rely on natural moulting at the scale the industry demands.

Ostriches are social, emotionally aware animals. In the wild they can live 30 to 40 years, but in the feather trade, they are killed in a fraction of that time. Birds bred for high-quality wing feathers can endure years of cutting or plucking before slaughter. Those bred for lower-quality feathers are plucked once and killed as babies, at just 10 to 14 months old.

Liz Cabrera Holtz, Senior Programs Manager, World Animal Protection, US states:

"Two in three shoppers said they'd drop a brand on the spot if they knew it sold products made with ostrich feathers. It's not hard to see why. Our investigation documented birds being pinned down and having their feathers ripped out with pliers, with no sedation or pain relief. This isn't 'natural molting." It's animal cruelty for the sake of a pretty dress." 

Emma Håkansson, Founding Director at Collective Fashion Justice said:

"It is utterly inconsistent for the fashion industry to have largely banned fur, only to shift to ostrich feathers, which also come from a slaughtering industry full of suffering. Many brands, fashion councils and runways have banned ostrich skins, yet permit the feathers that come from the very same supply chain.

"With so many innovative fabric manipulation techniques and bio-materials available to create the same lightness, volume and movement consumers admire in feathers, there is no justification for this cruelty. These birds are exploited while the public is led to believe it's done in a 'natural' and 'responsible' way."

A wave of A-list celebrities has worn ostrich feathers on the Met Gala and Oscars red carpets, and the trend has trickled down from luxury houses to fast fashion. But some key players in the fashion industry are rejecting ostrich feathers and embracing positive change. Producers like FEVVERS, a plant-based alternative to feathers, are collaborating with luxury brands like Stella McCartney to bring innovative feather mimicry to the runway.

Nicole Williams English, Fashion Model and World Animal Protection US Ambassador

"As a fashion model and designer, I have always strived to avoid wearing garments made from animals because of the cruelty behind it.  I'm grateful to World Animal Protection for this eye-opening undercover investigation exposing the disturbing reality of how ostriches are exploited for their feathers in the name of fashion. We've already seen major retailers, designers, and fashion weeks turn their backs on fur. Now it's time to do the same with feathers. Animal cruelty is never in fashion." 

The industry is out of step with American values. An overwhelming 82% of Americans surveyed believe farming and killing ostriches for clothing and fashion accessories should be banned.

Once Americans understand how feathers are obtained, 76% of those surveyed say they would choose sustainable, faux alternatives if given the option. The message to the fashion industry is clear: consumers are ready for cruelty-free alternatives. Brands and major retailers like Nordstrom and Revolve need to listen and leave real feathers behind.

World Animal Protection US is calling on Nordstrom executives to adopt a wildlife-friendly policy and stop selling feathers. 

About World Animal Protection 
World Animal Protection is a global organization working to end animal exploitation. We expose cruel systems, promote animal-friendly alternatives, and influence policy change. For 75 years, we've been rewriting the story for animals.

Working across almost 50 countries with offices in 12, we prioritize animals in farming and wild animals exploited for use in entertainment, as pets, and in fashion.

SOURCE World Animal Protection