Wayne Pacelle is the president of the Center for a Humane Economy, the organization that led the global campaign pressuring major athletic brands to commit to eliminating kangaroo leather by 1 January 2026. Under his leadership, the campaign secured written policy changes from Adidas, ASICS, and New Balance, meaning all three are now among the first major global sportswear companies to permanently end sourcing from the commercial killing of wild kangaroos.
Global scope and industry impact
Ending kangaroo leather sourcing simultaneously at Adidas, ASICS, and New Balance shifts practices at three multinational companies with massive global market share in football and running shoes. This coordinated change significantly shrinks the international market that helped drive one of the world’s largest commercial wildlife slaughter industries, setting a powerful precedent for other brands to follow.
Concrete, time‑bound structural change
The policies took legal and operational effect on 1 January 2026, turning prior pledges into enforceable, date‑specific commitments across design, procurement, and manufacturing. Because the shift is permanent, it locks in a structural transformation of these companies’ supply chains rather than a temporary marketing initiative.
Ethical leadership and reputational risk management
Persuading global brands to abandon a long‑used material required aligning animal‑welfare concerns with business interests, including reputational risk, investor expectations, and consumer sentiment. This achievement demonstrates how professional advocacy can reframe wildlife protection as a core part of brand value, not just a compliance or charity issue.
Catalyst for broader policy and innovation
The decision pressures remaining brands and suppliers to innovate alternative materials and review other high‑risk animal‑derived inputs. It also strengthens arguments for regulatory reforms in regions that export or import wildlife‑derived products, showing that industry change is commercially viable at global scale.
