Leading fashion brands including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein have stopped selling angora products after a video released by animal rights group PETA revealed the cruelty suffered by rabbits on Chinese farms.

The video was shot by a PETA Asia investigator who visited angora farms in China and witnessed workers tearing fur from the rabbits as they screamed in pain.

“Such animal abuse is totally unacceptable,” said Fu Xiarong, PR manager for H&M China. “We have now removed all angora products from our stores and we also offer refunds for customers who would like to return their already-purchased angora products.”

Marks & Spencer said it was carrying out additional visits to the farms involved and would not place any further orders for products containing angora wool until these visits are concluded and reviewed.

“We put animal welfare at the heart of our business and are committed to the responsible sourcing of raw materials, including angora wool,” it said.

PETA said rabbits suffered torture every three months for three to five years before their throats are slit and they are replaced. In the video, rabbits are locked in solitude in tiny, filthy cages after going through their ordeal.

Even rabbits whose fur was cut or shorn suffered too. The video showed that their front legs were tightly tethered during the process of cutting and they were highly likely to be injured by sharp blades as they struggled to escape.

PETA said on its website that about 90 percent of the world’s angora wool is produced in China, where there are no penalties for animal abuse.

It is urging all retailers to ban angora products.

“The best way consumers can give rabbits a merry Christmas is to avoid purchasing any angora,” said Jason Baker, PETA Asia vice president.

PVH Corp, the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, IZOD and other brands, as well as fashion companies including H&M, Topshop and Esprit, have agreed to ban angora products.

The vice secretary-general of the National Rabbit Industry Association, surnamed Jie, told The Beijing News that PETA’s allegations did not tell the whole story.

“According to our investigation, most farmers use electric or hand shavers now. The yanking method in the video has largely been abandoned since the 1980s.

“China produces about 90 percent of the world’s angora wool. The video has spurred a wave of boycott of Chinese rabbit wool products which will jeopardize the whole industry in the long run,” he said.