The frosty weather that most of us in the UK have experienced lately has confirmed that this year’s glorious summer is well and truly behind us. The central heating is on and the warm coats are at the ready. This got me thinking about people’s choice of winter clothing: there is an amazing range of fashionable coats, jackets, hats and all the trimmings out there.
Why, then, do some people still insist on wearing fur?
The cruelty in the fur industry is widely known; animals being crushed, strangled and drowned in traps; on fur farms they are confined in barren cages and slaughtered by cruel methods such as electrocution. It has also been reported that some animals suffer being skinned while still alive.
You would think with this knowledge nobody would want a fur coat anywhere near their wardrobe but unfortunately people do sometimes believe the marketing of the industry.
For instance, some people who would never wear new fur feel it is ok to wear vintage fur. They think that because the animals have been dead a long time, it does no harm. All the glamorous movie stars of their favourite era wore real fur, there were no fur farms back then and it’s more environmentally friendly than faux fur. Or at least ... this is what the fur industry tells them.
Yes, fur items were popular in the early-mid 20th century but if people (including movie stars) were aware, as we are today, of the cruelty and suffering involved in producing them, would they have been happy to wear them? Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell were all glamorous women. It wasn’t the fur that gave them style.
In fact, fur farms existed well over a hundred years ago and the animals on them were treated no better than they are on today’s farms.
And the environment? The tanning of skins relies on chemicals such as toluene and lead, therefore fur is no more environmentally friendly than any other man-made material.
One important thing to think about is, by wearing even vintage fur, you are still helping to create a market for it. These past few years, because of demand, there has been more and more fur creeping into ‘vintage’ shops, websites and fairs. Even some charity shops that would have turned down the offer of fur garments in the past are starting to stock them. Is it just a coincidence then that Harvey Nichols has reintroduced real fur garments?
There is nothing we can do for the animals that were used for vintage fur items but we can help to prevent animals suffering for the fur trade in future. Otherwise, animals suffering on fur farms and in traps today will eventually be found hanging in stores like Harvey Nichols and probably, a few years later, at a vintage fair.
OneKind believes ALL real fur should be avoided. And remember, fur is used to trim all sorts of items – gloves, cardigans, jackets, shoes and jewellery. If in doubt, don’t buy it.
Keep warm!