A skincare line for men has reportedly become the first international Leaping Bunny-approved cruelty-free beauty brand to go on sale in mainland China.

Bulldog Skincare For Men, which specializes in facial washes, scrubs and moisturizers, will hit the shelves of the pharmacy group Watsons' Shanghai stores from late 2019.

Mainland China requires beauty products to be tested on animals by law, making it impossible for brands to retail in the region and retain cruelty-free credentials. However, Bulldog -- which boasts a Leaping Bunny status awarded by Cruelty Free International -- is taking part in a special project launched by Cruelty Free International in cooperation with Knudsen & CRC, Shanghai Fengpu Industrial Park and Oriental Beauty Valley. The agreement means that Bulldog products will not face animal testing in China, but will instead have their formulas manufactured in the UK, before the product is filled in the the Fengxian manufacturing zone, south of Shanghai.

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"An opportunity for the future of the beauty industry"

"We are delighted to see one of our Leaping Bunny-approved companies come through the pilot project to successfully enter the Chinese market," said Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, in a statement. "Huge congratulations to Bulldog for showing commitment and leading the way. We know there is great demand from consumers in China for cruelty-free cosmetics. This is an amazing opportunity not only for Bulldog, but for consumers in China and for the future of the whole beauty industry."

"Even with the temptation of the huge Chinese market, we decided that we would never compromise our stance on animal testing," added Bulldog Skincare founder Simon Duffy. "It is fantastic that this scheme has allowed us to enter mainland China while maintaining our cruelty-free status. We hope the success of this scheme will pave the way for more international cruelty-free brands to sell there."

The cruelty-free movement has been gaining traction in the beauty industry in recent years, with several major beauty brands eliminating animal testing from their practices. These include the Unilever-owned skincare and haircare giant Dove, which was awarded cruelty-free status by PETA last year, and the Coty brand Covergirl, which received the same status from Cruelty Free International last November.