Lush has completely phased out the use of lanolin in their stores worldwide.
Late in 2022, Defend the Wild contacted Lush Cosmetics to raise our concerns over their continued use of lanolin throughout their supply chain.
We put together a detailed proposal on why lanolin did not align with Lush’s ‘ethical considerations when buying’, and subsequently, Lush agreed to phase out Lanolin from their products worldwide. That phase out has now been completed and Lush no longer uses lanolin in any of their products.
What is lanolin, & why phase it out?
Obtained from the fleece of sheep, lanolin oil is a grease that is commonly used in beauty products. It is sourced from an industry that is harmful to wildlife and the natural environment because it requires significant amounts of land and water to produce, drives the lethal management of native animals, and contributes to erosion, eutrophication, and the loss of topsoil.
The promotion of lanolin as an ethical product is harmful to Australian dingoes
Despite Lush sourcing their lanolin from New Zealand, it is important to note that the
promotion of lanolin as an ethical product, regardless of where it is sourced, leads to
misconceptions about the product around the world.
Take Australia for example - the biggest international exporter of wool - where native dingoes are relentlessly targeted with lethal control in favour of protecting agricultural profits. Since European arrival and the rearing of ruminant farmed animals, dingoes have been persistently targeted with trapping and shooting, baiting and bounty programs, with the specific goal of eradicating the species. What’s more, the Australian government funds this blatant ecocide.
The normalisation and promotion of a product like lanolin can have serious implications for native animals both in Australia and across the globe.
Ruminant animal farming is detrimental to our natural world
Ruminant animals (sheep and cattle) require vast areas of land to graze and produce large amounts of waste, leading to a plethora of poor environmental outcomes.
In New Zealand, where Lush had sourced their lanolin prior to shifting away from the product, there are approximately 23,400 sheep and beef farms across the country, covering 45% of the total agricultural land. According to Stats New Zealand, sheep farming covers 15.30% of New Zealand’s surface area. This is a huge area of land being taken up to produce sheep meat and wool products that could otherwise be dedicated to rewilding projects, returning land back to nature, which the IPCC has identified as a key component in reducing the worst impacts of climate change.
In the current climate crisis we are facing, we cannot afford to continue propping up failing systems that require huge amounts of precious natural resources like water and land, when there are sustainable & less harmful alternatives available.
An ongoing relationship with Lush to protect dingoes
Since phasing out lanolin, Defend the Wild has maintained a relationship with the company, and in July, Lush hosted a Charity Pot Party to raise funds for Defend the Wild’s Victorian dingo campaign. The event took place at Lush’s Melbourne Central Store, and had members of the general public hear from the Defend the Wild team about our ongoing campaign advocating for an end to lethal dingo management practices in Victoria.
Leaflets were handed out throughout the day and various one-on-one conversations regarding lethal dingo control were had, which led to customers purchasing the charity pot fundraising lotion. All proceeds from the Charity Pot event went directly to the production of the Native Pest documentary.
Lush is doing a huge amount of good, and we truly commend the company on the amazing efforts they have made as a business to help provide consumers with kinder, more compassionate, and ethical choices.
Defend the Wild is proud to have consulted with the company to remove lanolin from their supply chains, and thank Lush Cosmetics globally for standing with native animals and the environment by choosing to eliminate this harmful product.
