Ethically manufactured horse gear

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Celtic Fringe

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Having just bought a couple of new rugs for my beasties I'm now having a crisis of concience and wondering about where they are made. I usually try to buy ethically produced clothing for myself but it seems to be more difficult to check this for my horses. Horseware seem to indicate that they directly employ the workers in their factories in China and Cambodia but most other companies don't to provide any obvious information. Anyone else had similar musings?

I'm replacing one or two rugs that are over 10 years old so hopefully not responsible for significant over-exploitation of workers, but not really providing them with a lot of trade either!
 
Tricky one for rugs and things, though a great question.
For leather-work it's do-able but potentially expensive - you get tack made by a local craftsman, and ask lots of questions about sourcing of materials.

For rugs I'd guess you'd have to start asking the companies. You've pricked my conscience to do likewise, though like you I don't buy a lot of rugs.
 
All Albion tack is made in the uk... I’ve been in the factory it’s amazing how small it is for the amount of stuff they produce. There aren’t many others apparently that do this as it’s expensive so most larger saddlers ship their leather out to either the Indian sub continent or South America for the English leather tack to be made... Equipe I believe are all made in Italy. And I don’t know the German companies model.

As for rugs my guess is it’s a bit like clothes - the cheaper end of the market are likely to be made in sweat shops as how could they do it for that price? Rambo rugs are made in Ireland though so if you want a good rug that you know is made under European rules buy Rambo
 
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blitznbobs said:
All Albion tack is made in the uk... I’ve been in the factory it’s amazing how small it is for the amount of stuff they produce. There aren’t many others apparently that do this as it’s expensive so most larger saddlers ship their leather out to either the Indian sub continent or South America for the English leather tack to be made... Equipe I believe are all made in Italy. And I don’t know the German companies model.

As for rugs my guess is it’s a bit like clothes - the cheaper end of the market are likely to be made in sweat shops as how could they do it for that price? Rambo rugs are made in Ireland though so if you want a good rug that you know is made under European rules buy Rambo
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I may be wrong, but I believe Rambo used to be made in Ireland, but then they outsourced to China. I don't have 1st hand knowledge, but remember seeing an article on it.
 
Rambo do still have a factory here (in Ireland) in which they make prototypes and specials, but the vast majority of their rugs are now made in Asia. They are a good, ethical company though - I know the owner, and he told me they just couldn't compete unless the labour costs were kept down.
 
Cortez said:
Rambo do still have a factory here (in Ireland) in which they make prototypes and specials, but the vast majority of their rugs are now made in Asia. They are a good, ethical company though - I know the owner, and he told me they just couldn't compete unless the labour costs were kept down.
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How sad .
I spent a lovely couple of hours in the Rambo factory shop we where driving well I was driving near Dundalk and I saw the Rambo sign on the side of a building .
The hire car was pulled off the road and stopped in record speed while I muttered Rambo Rambo incoherently at MrGS .
I still have one of the rugs .
 
I was thinking about this the other day OP and so have been avoiding the Black Friday sales!! If anyone has any recommendations for ethical riding jodhpurs that would be great.
 
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Yes, Horsewear is the company, Rambo is one of the rugs lines (the original). Possibly it is the Rambo line that is still made here.
 
I'm not the only one then, that objects to having to buy rugs/horsey gear that is "Made in China". My objection (apart from the very obvious human rights issues) is the way they treat their animals; one cannot help getting horrible pictures of what happens to dogs in China, on FB, and it made me determine long ago that, wherever possible, I would avoid giving them my money!

Following this with interest.
 
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