Renowned hair-care company John Paul Mitchell Systems and hip cosmetics brand Urban Decay are giving glamour girls a reason to celebrate. Both companies are staying true to their animal-friendly principles by refusing to market their products in China until it stops requiring animal tests for cosmetics. Both companies have received a PETA Courage in Commerce Award for refusing to sell out animals.
Paul Mitchell had begun selling its products in China, but the government informed the company that it would have to start paying for experiments on animals in order to stay in the marketplace. Paying for the tests would require a complete reversal of the company’s values, as it was one of the first to join PETA’s Caring Consumer campaign decades ago. Urban Decay’s very product labels read, “We don’t test on animals. How could anyone?” So consumers who were aware of China’s animal testing policy were shocked when the brand announced plans to introduce its line there, and they voiced their disappointment to the company. Both Paul Mitchell and Urban Decay faced an important decision.
After PETA had extensive discussions with our long-standing contacts at Paul Mitchell and urged our members to e-mail Urban Decay, both companies decided that, rather than hurting even one animal, they would forgo the Chinese market.
PETA has funded a group of scientists to travel to China to offer advice on how to replace animal experiments with superior non-animal methods, and the country is now poised to approve its first ever non-animal tests for cosmetics.
Soon, principled companies may not have to choose between their morals and their bottom line. In the meantime, consumers can support only those companies that don’t harm animals at home or abroad by using PETA’s Caring Consumer database.
Images courtesy of Flickr’s The Commons.
Good to know ^^
Kudos to these companies. I am going to buy Paul Mitchell products now.
Love this article- and will definitely continue to support Urban Decay