JYSK takes a clear stand against animal cruelty

Through collaboration with The International Down and Feather Laboratory, JYSK ensures that down and feathers are not plucked from live birds.

Duvets and pillows are among JYSK's core products, and many of these contain down and feathers. When speaking about animal welfare in relation to down and feathers, one specific topic is often on the agenda: plucking of down from geese while still alive. The method is characterised as animal cruelty and illegal in Europe and many other areas.

Laurits Vestergaard is Quality Operation Manager in JYSK and part of his job is making sure that suppliers live up to JYSK’s Supplier Code of Conduct regarding treatment of animals. 

“We do not accept animal cruelty and we invest a lot of energy and money in preventing it. We only want products with down and feathers, which are by-products of the food industry. In other words down and feathers, which come from birds that were to be slaughtered anyway, and where down and feathers are plucked after the birds are slaughtered,” explains Laurits. 

A small group of suppliers

JYSK has a small number of suppliers of products with down and feathers. The selection of this small group of suppliers is based on two factors: ethical and quality considerations.

The vast majority of JYSK’s products with down come from selected suppliers in Poland, Denmark and Norway. These suppliers have their own strict procedures to prevent down from live birds. It is forbidden for European suppliers to source down connected to live pluck.   

Work together with IDFL

China is the world’s biggest producer of down and feathers, and JYSK also has a few Chinese suppliers. Plucking of live birds in China is very rare, but not forbidden. JYSK will however not under any circumstance accept live pluck. Therefore, JYSK works together with The International Down and Feather Laboratory, IDFL. IDFL specialises in inspections throughout the entire supply chain, including farms and slaughterhouses.

“We want things to be done the right way, and to ensure this we have chosen to continuously monitor our supply chain. IDFL has just audited our biggest Chinese supplier and did not find anything suspicious,” says Laurits. 

In addition, all JYSK’s suppliers, both European and Chinese, bind themselves by contract solely to supply products made with down and feathers from slaughtered birds. Trade documents and supplier visits ensure that suppliers do not breach this contractual agreement.