PChome halts sales of badger-hair products on animal welfare concerns

Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) Taiwanese e-commerce platform PChome has halted sales of products containing badger hair over animal welfare concerns, the company confirmed Monday after an animal rights group praised the online retailer for making the move.

The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia said in a statement Monday that the platform had joined a growing number of Taiwanese businesses that have stopped selling badger-hair products due to the abuse faced by the animals.

After PETA issued its statement, PChome told CNA that it announced the measure in July and notified related vendors to "stop selling products containing badger hair," while asking them to review product information and remove affected listings.

Products found to violate its rules will be handled through standard management mechanisms, PChome said, without elaborating on what action would be taken in cases of noncompliance.

"We will continue to strengthen reviews of product information and platform inspections to fulfill our responsibility for platform management," PChome said.

The online platform did not say how many products had been removed under the new policy or provide details on the types of products affected, despite CNA's inquiries.

PETA Asia indicated, however, that the products most affected by the new ban included men's shaving brushes, makeup brushes, calligraphy brushes and craft brushes.

A search of PChome for "badger hair" returned no listings for products containing the material when CNA checked on Monday afternoon.

Badger hair is considered a selling point for high-end brushes, such as shaving brushes. It is marketed as a premium material valued for its softness and ability to retain water.

In PETA Asia's statement, Jason Baker, the group's president, said high-quality synthetic-fiber alternatives are widely available, perform well and are affordable, and that there was no reason to support an industry that cages and kills badgers to make brushes from their hair.

"PChome has demonstrated a high degree of corporate social responsibility, and we hope more retailers and brands will follow suit," Baker said.

The animal rights group previously published an investigation into some badger-hair farms in China, alleging that badgers at those farms were confined in small cages and subjected to abuse before being killed for their hair.

It also described China as a "major exporter" of badger hair used by brush manufacturers worldwide.

Apart from PChome, momo, another major Taiwanese e-commerce platform, has prohibited the sale of products containing badger hair since May 20, 2026, following a letter from PETA Asia, according to a notice on momo's merchant rules website.