It felt like a gimmick at first–cruelty free feathers. I’m pretty certain the birds that these feathers came from are dead now, so how can the feathers be cruelty free?
I started investigating some various suppliers and I found that cruelty-free feathers are gathered from free range and humanely raised chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and peacocks. I have to admit that I was somewhat relieved that I wasn’t somehow furthering the horrible conditions that some animals suffer in.
I also started looking at feather quality. Humanely raised birds who get fresh air, exercise, and nutritious food have shinier, more lustrous feathers. The feathers last longer, too.
Cruelty-free Peacock feathers were extremely important to me. I wanted to make sure that peacocks weren’t being cruelty denuded of their blood feathers and left to bleed out. I previously volunteered at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and I watched firsthand how horribly a peacock dies when its blood feathers are pulled.
My feather suppliers are all based in the United States. They adhere to strict federal guidelines to be able to list themselves as cruelty-free. I also get an added bonus: peace of mind that any cleaning methods and dye processes are safe.
Come to find out, cruelty free feathers aren’t quite the news worthy item that I thought they would be. It does make me feel better knowing I’m offering the highest quality feathers–and in turn, feather earrings–possible.
the Best Feather Earrings 