Fur has been a part of clothing and fashion for a long time, but as clothes became mass-marketed, the process of procuring fur became less and less ethical. In the past few decades, there has been more of a push against the use of real fur in fashion due to its cruelty. The animals used for fur are kept in small, dirty cages and are abused, and their deaths are wasteful. In many cultures throughout history, fur has been used for clothes and bedding, but there was always an emphasis on using every part of an animal. In the modern fur industry, animals are treated carelessly and without respect, being used purely for quick profit. According to the Humane Society International, “25 countries have either voted to ban [fur farming], have prohibited the farming of particular species, or have introduced stricter regulations that have effectively curtailed the practice” (2024). Because of this, there has been a rise in the use of faux fur.
Faux fur has long been used as an alternative to real fur, and it is often significantly cheaper. While it is preventing the use of fur farms and limiting animal cruelty, there are still environmental challenges. The majority of fake fur is made with synthetic materials that are not biodegradable, like most fast fashion. They use lots of energy and produce harmful emissions from the factories in which they’re created, too. Moreover, these products are of a much lesser quality, which leads to them being disposed of more routinely than real fur items tend to be, contributing to the vast amounts of clothing waste, overcrowded landfills, and pollution.
The solution for all this is similar to a lot of sustainable fashion conversations: investing in higher quality clothes made with less synthetics and plastics, or reusing and thrifting older pieces. I’ll start with the more expensive first option. Brands are coming out with semi or fully-biodegradable fur alternatives, which can reduce the energy used and emissions from production or can be composted after use (Collective Fashion Justice). Other alternatives include recycling methods, such as using recycled plastic from the environment or old denim to create faux fur (Collective Fashion Justice).
The cheaper option is thrifting! While you really shouldn’t buy new, real fur–unless you’ve found a business dedicated to more traditional fur procuring practices and limiting waste–there’s nothing stopping you from buying old fur. Clothes made out of real fur generally are of much higher quality and can hold up far longer than their plastic-ridden mimics, so it might take a little refurbishing, but you can probably find decent-quality fur in a good thrift store. There’s also just thrifting regular faux fur; although it’s nonbiodegradable, it’s way better than contributing directly to fast fashion companies. There are even some businesses dedicated to reusing and repurposing old fur products that might have degraded in quality over the years, that way they’re relying on natural materials but are encouraging sustainability (Sustainable Fur).
As per most conversations around environmental consciousness and sustainability, research is important. The biggest environmental problems will always be caused by major companies and billionaires, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help to benefit the environment in day-to-day life. It can be more taxing having to research the ethics behind your favorite clothes brands, but it will be worth it to move forward knowing that you’re part of a move towards a kinder and more environmentally friendly world.
Written by Alec Conwell
Photography by Francesca DiMiceli
Styling: Diamond Durant
Movement Director: K Pereira
MUA: Marlie Kaye
Production: Mark Bluemle
PA: Daniella Fishman
Talent: @shanial1nn , @xman0228 , @luciesreese
Sources:
Everything You Need to Know about Natural Fur and Sustainability. (2020, July 9). Sustainable Fur. https://www.sustainablefur.com/
Fur alternatives — Collective Fashion Justice. (n.d.). Collective Fashion Justice. https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/fur-alternatives
Stone, K. (2024, September 30). The fur trade. Humane Society International. https://www.hsi.org/news-resources/fur-trade/