I have NEVER cared for real fur. One of the very first feature articles I wrote as a cub reporter in Manchester was in fact heartfelt opinion piece on why fur is such a cruel purchase – totally unethical in a world where faux is fab, kinder and much more practical.
On Thursday morning I was on Good Morning Ulster (BBC Ulster) chatting about the very significant rise in sales of real fur. I am a good 15 years older since I wrote that fur article for the Manchester Evening news but my feelings have not changed.
Even as a very open-minded lifestyle writer and social commentator, I still see no justification for big fashion houses using materials obtained via cruel practices. Let’s not kid ourselves, fur farms are among the most hideously brutal animal ‘fashion factories’ possible.
Rise in fur sales
Fur is back? Usually these ‘rise in sales’ stories are exagerated and trade-propelled (especially around this time of year of luxury purchasing and cold weather). However, there is no denying sales have shot up. Sales in China alone have risen by an astonishing 250 % – Russian and South Korean sales are also massively up.
Why?? Well, let’s be clear, we Brits (despite only a minority being vegetarian or vegan) do love our animals and in fact about 95% of us would NEVER wear fur, according to a recent poll.
Be warned though, demand means over-farming and a surge in sourcing the absolute cheapest most accessible pelts – yes, cat and dog fur. Pelts from wild animals (they’re wild and should remain there, in the wild!) cost much more to farm and process – the meat from these creatures being of zero value too by the way, unless you are into fox burgers?
I am not going to lecture anyone (videos of animals in fur farm cages are freely available if you wish to see the process of how fur ends up as a garment) but my main point is that in this day and age, real fur is just not cool and it certainly isn’t kind or necessary.
Luckily, many designers have a greater sense of moral responsibility when creating their designs – Stella McCartney, Designer of the Year 2012, for instance, produces totally cruelty-free clothes. Other big designers like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein also opt to be real fur-free designers.
Fake is fab and fashionable
Fake fur is fab and much more glamourous thanks to the manufacturing process allowing for more colour and texture options – these days anything is possible. So, before you even consider real fur, check out the amazing fake fur options out there.
The discussion on BBC Ulster was great and it was balanced by a vintage fur wearer called Maeve – I didn’t criticise her choice – we all have the right to wear, eat, be, do what we wish. Likewise I do NOT represent an animal rights or anti-fur organisation. I am simply a woman who loves style but recognises where the fashion world can easily avoid supporting what is a profits-obsessed and savage industry.
Okay fashion lovers, fake it to make it…!
