Sheep rescuer battles for top fashion prize (From The Northern Echo)

Sheep rescuer battles for top fashion prize

11:44am Wednesday 13th August 2008 in North-East Business News By Owen McAteer

AN independent clothing business that saved 500 sheep from slaughter last year is battling it out with two high street names to be Britain’s most animal-friendly fashion retailer.

Despite having been trading for only 18 months, Izzy Lane, of Richmond, North Yorkshire, will go head to head with Topshop and Marks & Spencer in the final of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008.

The three companies were yesterday announced as finalists for the fashion category of the awards alongside retailers Natural Collection and Romp.

The awards recognise ethical practices in business.

Izzy Lane, which runs its own sheep sanctuary, has already beaten competition from major high street names to reach the final five.

The wool for its clothing lines, including coats, jumpers and scarves, comes from sheep that company founder Isobel Davies saved from slaughter.

The rescued Shetland and Wensleydale sheep live at Miss Davies’ sheep sanctuary, near her Farmaround organic produce delivery company headquarters, on the outskirts of Richmond.

Designer Wayne Hemingway, one of the category judges for the awards said: “We were highly impressed by the calibre of entries this year.

Our finalists demonstrate that with dedication and passion, it is possible for fashion retailers to establish profitable business models that position animal welfare at the core. It was inspiring to see welfare-friendly can equal fashionable and profitable.

However, there is still much progress to be made across the industry as a whole.”

David Bowles, head of external affairs for the RSPCA said: “I am delighted to see more companies than ever before going the extra mile to include animal welfare as part of their ethical business policy.

“However, there are still giant leaps to be made to improve animal welfare in the fashion industry, and we want to encourage companies to further this progress over the course of the next year.”

Miss Davies uses traditional textile companies across the UK to make the garments and the wool is woven using Victorian machinery in the Scottish Borders.

The flock of Wensleydale and Shetland sheep is comprised mainly of animals that would have been sent to slaughter for being male, missing a pregnancy, being a little lame, being too small, being too old or having imperfections such as a black spot in a white fleece. The company pays market prices to save them.

Having saved her first four lambs in 2002, last year Miss Davies’ sanctuary saved 500 sheep.

The RSPCA Good Business Awards gala ceremony is at the Natural History Museum, London, October 9.