PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) announced that Jane Birkin, the British-born actress and singer, has asked Hermès to remove her name from the crocodile bag after learning of the disturbing practices used in its production. According to an investigation by PETA, an alleged alligator factory in Winnie, Texas exists and sends alligator skins to a Hermès-owned tannery.
A number of inhumane practices are employed in the Hermès-owned tannery. According to the investigation, crocodiles are slaughtered while they're "still conscious and able to feel pain." It takes two or three crocodiles to make just one handbag of the Hermès crocodile bag.
Jane Birkin stated, "Having been alerted to the cruel practices endured by crocodiles during their slaughter for the production of Hermès bags carrying my name ... I have asked Hermès Group to rename the Birkin until better practices responding to international norms can be implemented for the production of this bag."
The new Birkin bags can cost $10,000 up to $150,000, as it is one of the most sought after luxury handbags in the world.
Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas named the handbag after Jane Birkin, when they met on an airplane in 1984 and Jane Birkin complained of not having a good leather weekender. Jean-Louis Dumas was inspired by the complaint of Jane Birkin, and Dumas created the bag for her.
The Animal rights organization PETA applauded the request of Jane Birkin.
Ingrid Newkirk, founder of the PETA organization said, "PETA, on behalf of all kind souls in the world, thanks Ms Birkin for ending her association with Hermès, which makes grotesque handbags that were revealed in a PETA exposé to be constructed from the skins of factory-farmed and cruelly slaughtered crocodiles," Ingrid Newkirk also said, "We call on Hermès to stop plundering wildlife, factory-farming crocodiles and alligators and slaughtering them for their skins. Once, Birkin bags marked people as celebrities or at least members of the super-rich, but soon, no one will want to be caught dead carrying one, and animal advocates will then breathe a sigh of relief."