OPINION: As clothing brands are increasingly moving away from cruelty to animals by ditching fur and exotic animal skins, even searching for vegan alternatives to leather, why does the fashion industry continue its enthusiastic support for the brutal - and too often lethal - ‘sport’ of horseracing?

ANIMALS IN FASHION: SLAY - a feature-length documentary three years in the making that follows filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli as she travels to investigate the fashion world - has extended its fundraising target in an effort to cause a greater impact on one of the world’s most exploitative industries.

NEWS: Luxury fashion brand Burberry is to stop using exotic animal skins in its future collections building on its previous commitment to go fur-free, its chief operating officer confirmed this week.

SPECIAL REPORT: High-principled outdoor clothing brand Patagonia has long been lauded for its stance on the environment, sustainability and social responsibility, but a recent collaboration with a bison ranch has drawn criticism from animal justice groups. Claire Hamlett reports.

Luxury and high street fashion brands are at risk of funding Amazon deforestation because of their links to the leather industry, new research published this week has revealed.

A new report has challenged the commonly-held misconception that wool is one of the most sustainable materials for clothing. According to researchers, the fashion industry is at the heart of steps to reverse our dependence on destructive wool production.

The cruelty of wool isn’t often publicised, and there is little general understanding of why it isn’t vegan. Here, we break down the reality of the industry.

WEEKEND READ: Veganism has spread through the sports world. There are vegan athletes competing professionally in almost every sport you can think of. But it’s not just individual world-famous sports stars for whom veganism is a central part of their sporting lives. A growing number of teams and clubs are populated entirely by vegans.

A recent investigation by the Australian Farm Transparency Project (AFTP) has revealed that Hermes and other fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Versace, and Gucci, source skins from crocodile factory farms in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Silk has experienced a recent resurgence due to the popularity of silk face masks - but is silk vegan? And how is it cruel to animals? We explain how the fabric is made.

Bastion of highstreet horror Canada Goose is planning to open a new flagship store in the Scottish capital, drawing fresh condemnation from animal rights groups for their abhorrent use of coyote fur and goose down in their trendy parka jackets. We take a fresh look at everything wrong about Canada Goose, including their pledge to use ‘reclaimed’ fur from next year.

Silk is synonymous with luxury and the very finest most decadent things in life, from pyjamas to bed sheets. The cost to the silkworms is terrible with thousands boiled, gassed or steamed alive for just half a kilo of silk, but a new video report out from CNN this month has accused the Indian silk industry of being inextricably tied to bonded labour, in other words, modern-day slavery. We take a look at the true cost of silk to both animals and humans.