The Hen Report: “You’re On Trend” | Etsy Fur Ban, Fiber Maxxing & Gen Z’s Preferred Foods

In this week’s Hen Report, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan mark Mariann’s 76th birthday with a wide-ranging conversation touching on animal rights, food trends, and the power of changing your mind. Mariann reflects on her Rising Anxieties episode, connecting the Declaration of Independence’s “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” to animal rights, while Jasmin shares updates on her theater rehearsals and an exciting free book proposal program at World Shapers for nonfiction writers working on animal rights topics (apply by April 17th).

• Etsy bans fur – After just 58 days and 50 protests across 17 cities led by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT), Etsy announced it will prohibit fur products — including mink, fox, and rabbit — effective August 2025
• Young people and meat-free eating – A UK study of 1,000 young adults found half had considered going meat-free during school, with parental support emerging as the single biggest factor in whether they stuck with it
• Fiber maxxing goes viral – TikTok’s latest health trend promotes high-fiber eating, which naturally skews plant-based; benefits include reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s
• Gen Z ditches meat alternatives for fermented foods – Kimchi, kombucha, miso, and sourdough are surging among younger consumers who want food that’s authentic and gut-friendly, not just a meat replica
• JBS invests $37M in cultivated protein – The world’s largest meat producer launches a R&D center in Brazil for cultivated meat, signaling growing industry confidence in animal-free protein

RESOURCES

• • • • • Ever thought about writing a book that helps animals?
        • World Shapers: Three Months to a Book Proposal
        • ETSY BANS FUR!
        • Etsy Bans Animal Fur
        • Online Retail Giant Bows to Activists by Banning Fur Sales. It’s Hurting Conservation and American Trappers
        • NEW MFW TARGET: VISA
        • OHH Episode 917 with Suzie Stork
        • Young people more open to ditching meat than previously thought – new study
        • What Is TikTok’s Fibermaxxing—and How Does It Help Animals?
        • The future of food isn’t just plant-based it’s fungal, fermented, and lab-grown
        • Gen Z isn’t buying plant-based meat, but they’re spending record amounts on fermented foods
        • JBS launches cultivated protein R&D center in Brazil with US$37 million investment
        • FOR LOVE OF ANIMALS BOOK STUDY: To sign up for the study and to receive your copy of the book, email Sheila at [email protected]
  •  We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview.

_____________________________________________

Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.

Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review!

Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series.

Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky.

The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.