The fashion industry has
been struggling to reach an accord regarding its use of fur for decades.
Whilst members of the international fur trade remain adamant that fur and
angora are natural and sustainable materials which support an international
industry employing over a million people, animal rights activists continue
to shine a light on the systematic cruelty and abuse occurring on animal
farms around the world. Although the fur industry is said to have
contributed 40 billion dollars to the global economy between 2013-2014, it
also accounted for the death of over 50 million animals such as raccoon
dogs, foxes, rabbits, coyotes, minks and chinchillas.
Fur trade organizations, such as the International Fur Federation (IFF),
believe there is a place for ‘humane’ fur within the fashion industry, but
with technological advancements being made each year leading to the
production of faux fur and synthetic materials as soft, warm and luxurious
as their real counterpart, the question remains
–
is there still a need for ‘humane’ fur and angora?
In spite of ongoing anti-fur campaigns from the likes of PETA, Humane
Society International and Four Paws, the IFF believes fur holds a high
place within the fashion industry. The IFF and other Fur trade
organizations maintain fur farming remains well regulated throughout the
world, whilst operating within the highest standard of care under the label
“Origin Assured.” The label is said to provide consumers with an assurance
that the fur they offer is from a country where welfare regulations are
enforced. “Although laws differ slightly from country to country, there are
international regulations that govern all fur farming, prohibiting animal
cruelty and determining cage size and enrichment,” stresses the IFF on its
website.
The Federation claims animal welfare is a top priority, with fur farms
incorporating standards based on the results of independent scientific
research and govern factors, like protection, handling, food and water,
cage size, transportation and euthanasia. The Federation adds that Fur
Europe is currently in the process of implementing an animal welfare
assessment programme known as WELFUR, which is said to guarantee “a high
level of animal welfare” on European fur farms in 10 countries, including
Italy, Denmark and Finland. Furthermore, the China Fur Commission, a member
of the IFF, is said to be working on updating its animal welfare
regulations, which are based on the 1999 Council of Europe recommendations.
Cruelty isn’t cool. Please stop selling fur and angora, @The_Kooples! http://t.co/RM8GJlwFOb https://t.co/tTPOqykQsv
— Paul Ashworth (@pauldashworth) October 13, 2015
In spite of the incredibly promising and hopeful animals legislations and
welfare regulations promised in print, the truth remains that the Fur
federations and organizations words ring false. Video footage filmed in
nine of the largest fur producing countries in the Western World; Denmark,
Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the US
– all countries eligible to offer the “Origins Assured” label, sadly shows
that this label does not guarantee the ‘humane’ treatment of animals. Just
because a country has certain environmental standards, animal welfare laws
or guidelines in place, does not guarantee their enforcement. In fact, many
countries lack strict animal welfare laws, which is evident in the numerous
cases of animal neglect and abuse making the news headlines on a daily
basis.
Warning: Graphic images, viewer discretion is advised
An investigation carried out by Finnish animal rights organization Oikeutta
Eläimille in 2013 found that 13 fur farms in Finland, two of which were
part of IFF, all featured similar cases of neglect and abuse. There were
severe cases of eye infections on all farms which bred arctic foxes, as
well as open wounds, leg and ear injuries, signs of cannibalism and dead
animals left in cages to rot next to living animals. One of the farmers,
Marko Meriläinen, was a spokesperson for the fur industry and investigators
filmed dead, partly eaten puppies well as foxes with extreme injuries on
his farm. This shows that although fur organizations promise ‘humane’
treatment of their animals, it rarely happens, The reality remains that a
large number of animals living on fur farms are the victim of some form of
abuse – whether it be going insane due to consist confinement,
self-mutilation or cannibalism from lack of proper care or suffer from
illnesses and wounds which go untreated until death.
#Luxury #Fashion & The Great #Fur Debate. @PositiveLuxury http://t.co/jwVNz2GmY6 pic.twitter.com/m15IC7NSXZ
— Luxury Society (@LuxurySociety) October 12, 2015
“Designers that use fur have a responsibility to ensure that the type of
fur chosen lives up to the ethical and environmental demands of the modern
luxury consumer,” argues Jan Erik Carlson, director of marketing at Saga
Furs in an article for the Business of Fashion. “The challenge is to
identify the types of fur, the sources and the production methods that live
up to this kind of scrutiny.” Leaving the responsibility of the
traceability of the animal’s origins to the designer or fashion retailer is
another issue within the fur and angora industry. Although the majority of
companies conducted quarterly audits and strive to maintain open
relationships with their suppliers, it remains difficult to ensure that
each skin and every fiber comes from a reliable source. Overseas or
foreign sourcing makes it close to impossible for fashion companies to run
unannounced checks which could harm their business relationships and damage
their supply chain. This means that animals suffering abroad in fur and
angora farms are especially the dupe of animal cruelty.
This is especially evident in PETA’s latest undercover investigation, which
continues on from its 2013 expose on angora rabbit farms in China, which
supplies 90 percent of the world’s angora fibers. After documenting extreme
animal cruelty at 10 angora farms in China, during which rabbits were
filmed screaming whilst farmers forcefully ripped clumps of their fur out,
over 110 fashion retailers and designers pledged to stop sourcing and using
angora in their collections. A year later, PETA returned to China with a
veterinarian to reasses conditions on five farms. “The five farms PETA
visited had all been deemed ‘humane’ by a third-party auditor just weeks
before our visit,” said a spokesperson. “Officials at one international
clothing company that trusted its auditors, agreed to take a trip with us
to these five farms, which supplied its angora, to prove its claims.”
If you can’t watch it how can you wear it? Angora Farm Audits Reveal Extreme Suffering for Rabbits http://t.co/TRQha0EMdV via @PETA
— Serinda Swan (@SerindaSwan) October 12, 2015
“Unlike typical farm audits, these visits were all unannounced. Without
exception, the members of the group confirmed with their own eyes what the
2013 investigation had previously revealed—that live rabbit’s’ fur is
ripped out of their skin and that they’re forced to live in miserable
conditions, despite assurances to the contrary.” Rabbits, who had been
plucked and sheared raw, were seen lying in cages without any care with
their heads tilted at a 90 degree due rough handling by the ears. Due to
the head tilt, many rabbits were unable to orient themselves to eat or
drink and were slowly dying of starvation or dehydration. Most were
suffering from a severe skin irritation caused by excessive salivation
brought on by heat stress or respiratory disease.
Even more shocking than the apparent neglect at the farms was the news that
the auditor on the trip with PETA had already visits a number of the same
farms a few months earlier and reported to the company after his visits
that the rabbits were treated ‘humanely.’ When asked whether the conditions
he had seen a few months prior were any different than the appalling
conditions seen with investigators, he said no. There are no standards in
China in place to regulate the treatment of animals, and no penalties for
animal abuse, which is evident in their indifference to the suffering of
animals. This blatant failure of the auditing system, which so many fashion
companies rely on to assure themselves and their consumers, shows that one
person’s understanding of ‘humane’ treatment can vastly differ from
another. Without the impossible 100 percent guarantee that animals are
treated ‘humanely’, fur and angora farms will continue to function under
false promises, causing needless pain and suffering to millions of animals
around the world.
At the end of the day, there is really no such thing as ‘humane’ fur or
angora – it’s just a label used to assure the fashion industry and dupe
consumers to ensure the fading fur industry continues to thrive against the
odds. In today’s world, with faux fur becoming a lifestyle everyone can
embrace. “Modern technology has paved the way for faux fur to be unique and
luxurious in its own right,” said Hannah Weiland, founder and designer of
London-based label Shrimps to the BOF. “I hope that one day it will become
the natural decision for people thinking of buying a winter coat.” A hope I
fully believe in.
Fur is beautiful on animals, not on people. Sign the Fur Free pledge today! http://t.co/1caBwplFbo via @HSIGlobal
— Adrienne Leigh (@AdrienneSherwin) October 13, 2015