Popular NORTH FACE jackets made from feathers of force-fed geese - extremely cruel conditions

[snagglepuss]

The North Face, an American company favoured by everyone from Barack Obama to BBC reporters, has previously claimed that its down-filled coats were ethically produced.

But animal rights campaigners found that the source of the clothing firm’s supplier was in fact Hungarian farms where geese are artificially fattened in order to make pâté de foie gras from their oversized livers.

snip

Marcus Mueller of the charity Four Paws described the conditions the geese are kept in on foie gras farms as “hell for animals”.

He told The Sunday Times: “During the three weeks of forced feeding... geese are force-fed three times a day until they are sick to death. It is the worst kind of animal cruelty.”



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/outdoors/outdoor-equipment/9091694/North-Face-jackets-made-from-feathers-of-force-fed-geese.html

[Earth_First]

1. TNF is overpriced, mass produced, consumer market garbage...

TNF went downhill over ten years ago when they emerged as a consumer market brand rather than quality manufactured outdoor clothing.

It doesn't surprise me to hear this, as the market demand went up; they needed to cut costs somehow. Unfortunately that usually results in poor quality and questionable manufacturing processes.

[FarCenter]

9. The North Face is a brand of VF Industries

Along with Wrangler, Timberland, Lee, Jansport, Eastpak, Nautica, Eagle Creek, and others...
http://www.vfc.com/brands

"VF is a $9 billion apparel and footwear powerhouse, with an incredibly diverse, international portfolio of brands and products that reach consumers wherever they choose to shop. Over the years, we have built a foundation for sustainable, long term success, based on our diversity, a culture that is perpetually driven to succeed and our ability to manage large-scale complexity."

I'd be surprised if they sourced down from any single place or country.

[snagglepuss]

15. As stated in the article, The North Face admits sourcing from Hungarian farms

snip

An online brochure published in 2010 stated that the down in North Face jackets and sleeping bags was taken from “the very best source – small family-owned farms in Hungary.”

It went on: “At no time are the geese live-plucked for their down. Along with banning live-plucking, force feeding – for foie gras – has been banned in the supply chain of The North Face down material for many years.”


-----

Clearly The North Face is spewing BS

[FarCenter]

18. They actually get the feathers from Allied Feathers and Down

http://www.alliedfeather.net/about

It appears that a lot of manufacturers use them as a supplier.
http://www.alliedfeather.net/partners

Here's Patagonia's page (note that they are not on the "partners" page).
http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=37607

Down generally comes from Europe or the Far East and is a byproduct of slaughtering and plucking waterfowl raised for food.

[snagglepuss]

19. The point is that their own brochure assures people their feathers are not from farms that

force feeds geese.

[FarCenter]

20. What is the alternative use of the down? Land fill? Grind up for animal feed?

If the geese are being raised for foie gras, the down is incidental. It takes down from quite a few geese to make a jacket.

[flobee1]

2. I always thought North Face

items were obscenely overpriced anyway. You can get the exact same quality from Columbia or Marmot and pay about 20% less. I always thought of people that wore North face as being the same types that wore old navy and american eagle, just buying it because everybody else is buying it.

[Earth_First]

4. Unfortunately, Marmot is heading the same direction...

I notice that they have almost become a 'house brand' at Dick's sporting goods.

Only bad things can happen here.

For my money, I'd rather Arc Tyrex.

At least I know that I am going to get more than a season out of my investment...

[flobee1]

5. buy early

before the quality goes away. Bought a marmot tent to replace my eureka(that went that same direction years ago) and it still is of good quality. If anybody is an outdoor fanatic, MSR is good stuff-and nicely priced too.

I also see Kelty stuff being sold at Dicks now-what a shame.....

[Arkana]

3. And to think all my coats came from other places because I thought North Face was overpriced

college-student hipster crap.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Not defending North Face, but lemme ask you . . . . .

. . . . . if North Face sourced their feathers and down elsewhere, would the foi gras geese have a better life? The issue really isn't North Face, it is laws that allow the force feeding of geese to get the fat livers that makes the best foi gras.

The citation of North Face as being the boogeyman here is kinda bogus.

BTW, I am not defending foi gras farmers, either.

[Earth_First]

7. You do raise a good point...

My opinions were more direct from the consumer standpoint. It's junk regardless.

[snagglepuss]

13. Once North Face knew the geese were forced fed they should have exposed

the operation and gone elsewhere for feathers.

[KansDem]

8. I want to buy a smiliar-looking jacket and have this put on the left side...

[hlthe2b]

10. The South will rise again?

LOL

[hlthe2b]

11. Seems to me the issue is pate' consumers... Force feeding isn't helpful for feathers...

after all?

I detest pate' or any food produced from organs, personally, but even more so after learning (many years ago) what goes into the production.

But, yes, I think targeting Northface is a bit "after-the-fact" and doesn't really address the problem, which is cruelty in animal rearing and production. I suspect they get feathers from a lot of sources that probably changes over time. Perhaps the campaign will help insure they don't buy this particular product, but even if so, that doesn't seem like it would have done much to reduce the problem.

[snagglepuss]

17. As stated in the article, The North Face admits sourcing from Hungarian farms

snip

An online brochure published in 2010 stated that the down in North Face jackets and sleeping bags was taken from “the very best source – small family-owned farms in Hungary.”

It went on: “At no time are the geese live-plucked for their down. Along with banning live-plucking, force feeding – for foie gras – has been banned in the supply chain of The North Face down material for many years.”


-----

Clearly The North Face knowingly spews BS claiming geese aren't being force fed when they now admit most feathers come from food industry geese.

[Peregrine Took]

12. Its too expensive to throw it away but we coat owners could get a marker pen

and trace it along those logo's front and back so they can't be seen. I refuse to advertise that brand!!

[roody]

14. I refuse to wear or buy any clothing with

a seen logo. It saves me a lot of money. Oops, I have to exempt jeans from my policy.

[snagglepuss]

16. +1