Adidas ends use of kangaroo leather in footwear
19/05/2025
The decision follows pressure from animal welfare groups, including an in-person appeal by Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy. Gulden had previously described the kangaroo leather trade as “terrible” at the company’s AGM in 2024.
Adidas now joins Nike, Puma, New Balance and Sokito in ending the use of kangaroo skins. Animal rights campaigners have welcomed the move, calling it a significant step towards ending the commercial hunting of kangaroos in Australia.
The Center for a Humane Economy launched its ‘Kangaroos Are Not Shoes’ campaign in 2020, highlighting the impact of the trade on wildlife. The organisation estimates that more than a million kangaroos are killed annually, often leaving joeys orphaned or injured.
Advocacy groups say Adidas’s decision marks a turning point and will increase pressure on other brands, including Japanese companies Asics and Mizuno, to follow suit.
clarified that the proportion of kangaroo leather used in these boots is less than 0.5% and that it is sourced exclusively from suppliers that are monitored and certified by the Australian government to ensure both animal welfare and species protection.
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