During its annual meeting in Germany on Thursday, May 15, Adidas announced that it would permanently stop using kangaroo leather across all of its collections. The German company, previously one of the world’s largest users of kangaroo hides, primarily used the leather in its football boot lines.
GAIA hails a significant victory for the animal cause after years of campaigning.
This is a major win for animal advocates, rewarding years of efforts aimed at changing the course of the sportswear giant. This decision will help curb the mass slaughter tied to kangaroo hunting.
— Michel Vandenbosch, President of GAIA
A Cruel and Widespread Hunt in Australia
In Australia, kangaroos are killed on a massive scale under particularly violent conditions. Every year, over 80,000 are killed for the Belgian market alone, making Belgium the top European importer and the second largest worldwide.
The hunting, which occurs at night, causes immense suffering: nearly 40% of animals do not die instantly. Legally, hunters are then required to “crush the skull and destroy the brain” of dying kangaroos—a particularly barbaric practice.
A Turning Point for the Industry
Adidas now joins other brands like Nike, Puma, Diadora, and Decathlon, which have already pledged to stop using this controversial leather following actions led by animal protection organizations like GAIA.
This progress is the result of your support, our persistence, and the strength of our campaigns.
GAIA Continues the Fight – Until a Full Ban
This victory is not the end of our battle. GAIA remains determined to achieve a complete ban on the trade of kangaroo meat and leather in Belgium.
We continue to:
- Run awareness campaigns across the country,
- Call on politicians and retailers to act,
- Collaborate with Australian partners, including representatives of the Aboriginal peoples, to amplify their voices in support of the victims,
- Use all possible means to put an end to this cruel practice.
Toward a Legal Ban
In October 2024, GAIA, alongside a delegation of Australian Aboriginals, urged several members of parliament to ban the import of kangaroo products in the Flemish and Brussels parliaments. These efforts have led to concrete results:
- In Brussels, a proposed ordinance has been submitted to ban the sale of kangaroo meat and leather;
- In Wallonia, discussions are underway with MPs to submit a similar proposal;
- In Flanders, the political party Vooruit is working on a bill to ban the trade of products derived from kangaroo hunting.
