MILAN, Dec 2 — Italian fashion house Armani announced Wednesday it would no longer use angora wool, a product made from rabbit hair, as part of its fur-free policy.

The company said it would no longer use the material across all of its lines from next year’s fall-winter collection.

At Armani "the percentage of clothing items containing angora wool is very low and we plan to replace it with materials that meet higher criteria in terms of animal well-being,” a group spokeswoman told AFP.

Soft and silky angora wool is a fibre made from the coats of angora rabbits.

The animal rights group Peta called in 2013 for a halt to the use of angora wool, releasing a video of an angora rabbit wailing as its fur was pulled out to be collected.

Armani renounced using fur in its products in 2016, saying there are now practical alternatives "that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary”.

A growing number of fashion companies are adopting policies against using materials that require cruelty towards animals. — AFP