So you won’t eat a burger or bacon, but you’ll proudly rock that lambskin bag?
Or you’ll judge meat-eaters like it’s your job and then slip on leather loafers without a second thought.
Plenty of us condemn the slaughter of animals for our plates while turning a blind eye to what we stuff into our closets like Cruella de Vil.
💵💰Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter💰💵
But turns out there is a limit. We all want to support companies that reflect our beliefs, especially when it comes to issues like sustainability, social justice, and the humane treatment of animals.
The bottom line is that brand loyalty isn’t just about quality or price anymore.
It’s also about political alignment, ethics, trust, and transparency.
Adidas announced it will stop using kangaroo skins in its shoes.
Image source: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Adidas is joining others in the athleticwear world
For many people, knowing that a brand takes a stand against animal cruelty can be the difference between clicking “buy” or bailing. That growing awareness is now pushing some of the world’s biggest companies to make meaningful changes.
That’s certainly true of one of the most iconic names in athleticwear: Adidas.
Adidas announced this week it will stop using kangaroo leather in its footwear. (And I mean, who knew?!)
The decision follows pleas from an animal rights activist, Wayne Pacelle, who launched an awareness campaign called “Kangaroos are not Shoes” in 2020. Pacelle then showed up in person at the Adidas annual general meeting last week in Fürth, Germany.
Related: Nordstrom makes change sure to anger customers
Following the Adidas announcement, Japanese company ASICS made the same decision and will no longer use kangaroo skins for its soccer shoes.
“With the rapid-fire announcements from ASICS and adidas, we’re witnessing the dismantling of a supply chain built on bloodshed and the orphaning of kangaroo joeys,” said Center for a Humane Economy President Wayne Pacelle in a statement. “The foreign markets for kangaroo skins are collapsing, and that can only mean good news for the iconic marsupials of Australia.”
Pacelle hoped to highlight the plight of one of Australia’s most beloved animals and end the use of kangaroo skins in the construction of shoes such as the Adidas Copa Mudial soccer cleats.
Related: As many department stores close, this chain adds new locations
Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden said the company stopped using kangaroo skins several months ago and will not resume purchasing them.
Nike, Puma, New Balance, Diadora, and UK-based Sokito had already announced they would stop using kangaroo skins in their products.
Kangaroos are wild animals hunted for their skins
One of the issues that has drawn outrage is the way kangaroos have suffered due to the commercial hunting industry. Hunters slaughter an estimated 2 million kangaroos annually, including mothers and their joeys.
More retail:
Aldi releases viral Trader Joe’s item that is always out of stock Home Depot, Lowe’s rivals strategic growth plan Trader Joe’s making huge mistake not copying Walmart, Target
The hides of adult kangaroos are used for products like soccer cleats, while orphaned joeys are bludgeoned, decapitated, or left to die, according to In Defense of Animals, an international animal protection organization. This widespread cruelty, coupled with the environmental destruction from leather production, has fueled global opposition to kangaroo leather.
The practice even prompted action in the U.S., where Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) co-sponsored the Kangaroo Protection Act of 2024. The bill would have banned the manufacturing and sale of products made from kangaroo skin in the U.S., but it died in committee last year.
In March 2025, Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Kangaroo Protection Act of 2025; no further action has been taken yet.
Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast
