'SLAY' Is the New Documentary Exposing Fashion's Obsession With Animal Skins

Navi Ahluwalia
·2 min read

An all-new feature documentary, SLAY, is set to investigate the deadly relationship between the fashion industry and animal skins, exposing the unethical practices that numerous brands carry out daily.

According to data from Good On You, a leading brand rating platform, 68% of today's brands still use some animal products in their collections. For some of the larger and more profitable brands, this figure rises to 91%.

Looking into the use of leather, fur and wool across the industry, filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli has utilized investigative footage captured over the course of three years, following the industry's biggest supply chains and their subsequent impact on the environment. From how leather tanning contaminates water to how using unethical materials contributes to deforestation, the documentary looks at the effects on animals at every step of the way.

Alongside her own footage, Cappelli enlists the help of a range of experts and campaigners including TV personality Lucy Watson, activist Bandana Tewari and founding director of Collective Fashion Justice Emma Håkansson.

"The suffering of animals in the fashion industry is greenwashed into oblivion while those skin industries are destroying the planet and harming people," says Rebecca Cappelli, Director and Producer of SLAY in a press release. "SLAY aims to challenge the notion that animal skins are a fabric, and open people's eyes to the dark realities behind some of the most sought after skins in fashion."

As well as looking into the harsh reality of the industry and its effects, SLAY offers a glimmer of hope, shedding light on the possible solutions and ways that brands can minimize their impact. From animal-free leather developed from pineapple leaves to plant-based wool being grown from flowers, the documentary emphasizes the growing commitment to sustainable alternatives and seeks to encourage more and more brands to get involved.

SLAY is available to view on WaterBear, a free streaming platform dedicated to supporting the future of our planet.