Shearling (sheepskin with wool attached) and karakul lambskin involve the killing of young or very young sheep and lambs, raising welfare concerns in the luxury fashion market.
Karakul fetal lambskin production represents one of the most extreme welfare violations in the fashion industry: pregnant ewes are killed to harvest the fetal skin, causing the deaths of both mother and unborn young. Even the less extreme form — killing very young lambs — involves animals at a developmental stage where they are still dependent on their mothers and clearly capable of suffering. Shearling production from lambs at 6 to 12 months involves less developmental vulnerability but still represents animals killed primarily for their skin. The luxury positioning of these products means that consumer choice and brand-level commitments to welfare sourcing are the primary available levers — price is not the barrier to alternatives for the market segments involved.