Cruelty-free

In the animal rights movement, cruelty-free is a label for products or activities that do not harm or kill animals. Products tested on animals are not considered cruelty-free, since these tests are often painful and cause the suffering of millions of animals every year.

“Every product, every action, and every lifestyle decision can be a choice to harm less.”

The term cruelty-free was first used in this way by Lady Dowding who persuaded manufacturers of fake furs to use the label Beauty Without Cruelty and went on to found the charity Beauty Without Cruelty in 1959. The term was popularised in the USA in the 1970s by Marcia Pearson who founded the group Fashion With Compassion.

In 1957 Charles Hume and William Russell introduced the concept of the three R’s in their book Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. These techniques to reduce animals used in tests and their suffering include: replacement (eliminate an animal test altogether), reduction (fewer animals used in test by using statistical analysis) and refinement (making tests less painful).

In 1991 the European Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) was established, “...to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods which are important to the biosciences and which reduce, refine or replace the use of laboratory animals.”<refCurren, Roger (Nov–Dec 2000). "From inhumane to in vitro: The changing face of science.". The Animals' Agenda. 20 (6): 22. /> Once the ECVAM’s Scientific Advisory Committee approves a test it must be used under the Animal Protection Act, which does not allow the use of animals when an alternative exists.

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