Feathers are on the way OUT…
Stay ahead of the game
The Olympics finally speaking up on ending feather shuttlecocks and moving to a more sustainable and cruelty free choice
I cannot agree more that the feather shuttlecock used in badminton is long overdue for a change. Each year, millions of birds are subjected to live plucking, a painful and inhumane process, to procure feathers for manufacturing billions of shuttlecocks that are distributed globally. The impact of using feather shuttlecocks on the environment and animal welfare is undeniable. To put it into perspective, it takes 16 feathers to make one shuttlecock, and the average badminton player can go through dozens of shuttlecocks in a single game. This means that billions of feathers are required annually, which puts a significant strain on the bird population and their natural habitats, it also involves child labour, the sheer exploitation of child labour is apparent in Uluberia City, a municipal area of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal, one-fifth of the children are employed to make feather shuttlecocks they are under the age of 14 cutting around 1,200 feathers a day children often cutting their fingers as they use scissors to cut a precise 1/2 inch of the feather, the drive is meaningless yet the two meals offered a day is their priority, they work in poor working conditions, which increases the risk of spreading diseases like the current outbreak of ‘Influenza.'
“ Gopichand said. “I know it is a problem at the moment but we need to go away from natural feather because we had in the past experienced H1N1. It will help the game overall, whenever it happens.”
On the other hand, synthetic shuttlecocks offer a much more sustainable and animal-friendly solution. They are made from durable materials, which means they can withstand regular use and last much longer than their feather counterparts. Synthetic shuttlecocks also eliminate the need for live plucking, and their production process does not require the same level of resources or energy as that of feather shuttlecocks.
It's time for badminton players and fans alike to take a stand for the environment and animal welfare. By switching to synthetic shuttlecocks, we can make a positive impact on the world and show that we are conscious consumers who care about the future of our planet.