Sydney  - German sportswear giant Adidas is the latest major clothing company to refuse to buy wool from sheep that have had skin cut from their backsides so flies can't lay eggs there and give them potentially fatal infections.

Adidas Australia marketing director Simon Miller said Thursday the decision had no practical consequences because the Bavarian-based company didn't produce garments made from Australian wool.

"The decision's been made at our global headquarters at Herzogenaurach in Germany," he said. "It's in line with adidas' global ethical sourcing policy, which covers the way that we source materials and the way that our products are manufactured."

Adidas follows Hugo Boss, Timberland, Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie&Fitch, H&M and other international clothing companies to have bowed to pressure from US-based animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

PETA has led a worldwide campaign against what it says is a cruel practice that is unnecessary because more humane methods are available.

Australian farmers are committed to phasing out mulesing by 2010. They will switch to sheep breed to have no wrinkles in their backsides.

In Australia, which is the largest producer and exporter of wool, around a quarter of sheep farmers have given up mulesing already.

In a blow for Agriculture Minister Tony Burke, who recently wrote to adidas and other leading retailers, the German company said it would not source wool from sheep that had clips attached to their bottoms as an alternative to having strips of skin cut away. (dpa)