Does Fur have a place in fashion?
The great fur debate is a very controversial subject. Fur garments have always played a significant and historic role in society; beyond their practicality for warmth. Fur has been worn to portray wealth and hierarchy for centuries(Fashionista.com,2018). The obvious problem within the fur industry is Animal Welfare.
Fur is a 40-billion-dollar industry (Vogue.co.uk,2014) with 85% of fur sold originating from fur farms (europeandceo.com,2018),(respectforanimals.org,2018) with Europe and China being the largest suppliers of fur. China is the largest consumer of fur; responsible for 50% of all global consumption(respectforanimals.org,2018). It is estimated that Minks and Foxes are the largest fur source(respectforanimals.org,2015); taking up to 40 animals to create one coat (Greenpeace,1984). In 2014, “more than 41 million minks and two million foxes were reared and killed for fur in Europe” (Respect for animals.org,2015). There are European guidelines in place for Animal farming welfare in terms of physical bodily harm, no consideration for the animals’ behavioural and emotional needs are being met. Moreover, the table below shows the needs of Foxes and Minks compared to their current conditions (respectforanimals.org,2015). As Highlighted below, (figure 1.0) minks and foxes are hunters and solitary creatures which need private and large spaces to roam. While animals may grow, reproduce and appear healthy, they will have poor welfare if they experience suffering such as frustration from having little space to move (Respectforanimals.org,2015). Mink and foxes on European fur farms are not domesticated(respectforanimals.org,2015) and therefore are “fearful of humans and are fundamentally unsuitable for farming” (Respectforanimals.org,2015). Additionally, the World Bank ranked fur dressing as one of the worst industries for toxic metal pollution (europeanceo.com,2018). Below is a PETA video in collaboration with Stella Mcartney who is a luxury fashion designer who only uses faux suede and leather in her products.
Below is the 2014 report for number of Minks and Foxes Killed for Fur in Europe by country (figure 1.1), (Respectforanimals.org,2015) and the table taken from a 2015 report for conditions of Minks and Foxes farms in Europe. Which States the current animal conditions and what is needed (figure1.2), (Respectforanimals.org,2015).
Many designer brands have started to oppose the fur industry; and rightly so with several ditching furs for faux in the past 9 months; following fast- fashion retailers (Fashionista.com,2018). Figure 1.3 shows a list of luxury labels for and against fur in their collections (Drapers,2018), (Mintel,2018), (Vogue.co.uk,2018), (his.org.au,2018). However, it is argued that faux fur is ethically worse (Dailymail.co.uk,2016).Plastic pollution and oil consumption are major issues within the faux fur industry; as it takes up to ten barrels of oil to make one coat (Dailymail.co.uk,2016). Faux is made from plastics such as acrylic and crude oil (Fashionrevolution.com,2018), creating garments which take up to 1,000 years to bio-degrade on landfills (Fashionista.com,2018),(Dailymail.co.uk,2016); polluting the air and killing wildlife such as birds. fibres shed off the coats and affect the lungs of wildlife. When Acrylic is washed, thousands of plastic polymers enter the ocean and food-chain (FashionRevolution.org,2018) destroying wildlife. The plastic is then ingested by oceanic life and when a fish is killed and sold in supermarkets, customers are then ingesting plastic. The fashion industry is responsible for one third of all plastic pollution in the oceans (FashionRevolution.org,2018); responsible for the plastic being consumed by all oceanic life. Research suggests that 50% of all sea turtles have ingested plastic. (bbc.co.uk,2018) one in five turtles die from plastic poisoning with young turtles at higher risk (bbc.co.uk,2018). Moreover, in a recent interview, Keith Kaplan; the director of communications at the American Fur information council stated Petroleum-based faux fur products are the opposite of responsible-environmental conservation; “Petrol-based plastic fur is extremely harmful to the environment” (Fashionista.com,2018). In addition, where there is a company against faux there is one supporting the ethics of fur. Mette Lykke Nielsen, CEO of Fur Europe states that faux fur is unethical and genuine fur is vital for the sustainability of the fashion industry; “If we want to improve and mitigate fashion’s impact on the environment, we should use more natural materials, such as fur, leather, silk, wool or feathers” (europeanceo.com,2018). “Trust and credibility will be a major issue as long as there are different interests and interests at work”(Harrison,Newholm,Shaw- 2007).
Faux fur is cheap and accessible without resale value (Dailymail.co.uk,2016). Due to the plastic consistency it quickly loses quality and is disposed of in favour of a new cheap faux-fur the following year. Fake fur items do not hold the same allure as the real alternative and are much more likely to contribute towards our fast fashion culture (europeanceo.com,2018). Missguided alone currently stocks 84 Faux coats and jackets (Missguided.co.uk,2018).
According to Mintel, 70% of 16-24-year-olds believe that fashion retailers should be more environmentally friendly (Mintel,2018); with 25% of all women being interested in shopping at an entirely ethical store (Mintel, 2018). Therefore, Generation Z and young Millennials' are the future for fashion ethics.
Typically, due to the high price margin for fur products, fur is targeted at traditional luxury consumers. A luxury consumer is affluent and will appreciate brand names, quality and good value (Grose,2012). The chances of encouraging this consumer type to adopt to faux fur is unlikely due to the quality faux products possess (see appendix 1.0). Harrods is famous for providing luxury to the highest clients (InsideHarrods, documentary-2018); Harrods once banned fur in their store; and are now the world’s leading fur retailer (Businessoffashion,2017). Online sales of fur have increased by 30% in a one-year period (Businessoffashion,2017).
Despite the growth of fur, other innovations are possible for this consumer type. For instance, a research team in Japan working for the RIKEN Centre for Developmental Biology; have been researching growing skin and hair for skin grafts for hospitals (popsci.com,2016). If this research was to be developed to growing animal fur, the technology could be used to create infinite amounts of animal fur, without the involvement of animals. There is also other alternatives for leather including leather made from leaves, apples and even mushrooms.
Long term, this innovation could lead to mass production of lab grown furs. Similar innovations are already available for leather alternatives. Modern meadow aims for a healthier planet and use lab-gown collagen to create leather (modernmeadow.com,2018). Whereas Happy Genie is a brand that uses apples to create faux leather handbags (kickstarter.com,2018).There is also other alternatives for leather including leather made from leaves, apples and even mushrooms. According to the Business of Fashion, “creativity can jump in many different directions instead of using furs” (Businessoffashion.com,2017). Therefore, the lab scenario is a viable alternate to fur and faux fur production. Using Lab grown fur would create a new future revenue stream that would potentially phase out the alternatives in the market. Lab grown products offer the possibility for new innovations.
Alternatively, to use the fur taken from animals that have been killed for food rather than breeding animals for their fur only. Also known as a bi-product. This would prevent fur farming as well as eliminate the fur wastage from farm animals used for the meat industry. All saints currently use this method for their leather products (Elle.com,2014). This method wouldn’t have any new entrant or substitute risks only the risk that the supplier will increase value. However, this method would have a high adoption rate as consumers would still be able to purchase fur products. However, this method still wouldn’t eliminate fur farming due to high demand of fur. According to the Business of Fashion, the fur industries demand in younger consumers continues to grow due to new products and celebrity endorsements (Businessoffashion.com,2017). At the BOF “great fur debate” speakers argued for and against the fur industry with many supporting the fur trade for being an ethical and sustainable resource (Business of fashion.com, 2017). One argument stated that the fur industry is a booming economy, with over one-million people in the world working in the fur industry whose jobs would be at stake if changes were made (business of fashion,2017).
Although many designers have been boycotting real fur. Generation Z and Millennials are buying fur due to celebrity endorsements and arguably lack of animal welfare knowledge. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, and Rhianna have been known to wear fur with super models such as Bella Hadid and Cara Delevigne walking fur runways for Fendi and Kendal jenner modelling fur for Karl Largerfeld (Businessoffashion.com,2017). Contrast to the 1990’s where many celebrities were against fur. Including supermodels such as Kate moss and Naomi Campell who modelled a campaign for Peta stating, “we’d rather go naked than wear fur” (Peta.com,1994) (Businessoffashion.com,2017). “today’s youth are unburdened by the campaigns of animal rights groups compared to their counterparts two decades ago” (Businessoffashion,2017).
New developments in design catered at a younger audience in their twenties has proven successful in the market. Creating fur trims, pom- pom keyrings and shoe linings have proven successful and generation z and millennials are argued to be the future of the fur industry (Businessoffashion,2017). In contrast, Gucci whose target audience is over 50% Gen Z and young Millennials have stopped selling fur and opting for faux due to fur being archaic (businessoffashion,2017). In contrast BOF claims “When you say fur isn’t modern, you only must look at all the girls like Rihanna wearing it today, whether it’s sneakers or a bag, on a hoodie or in a parka” (Businessoffashion,2017). Many Millennials prefer fur due to ethics regarding the faux alternative. “Millennials consistently identify sustainability as a key factor in purchasing patterns” (Businessoffashion,2017). There is increased market demand for fair trade and organic products and traceability of raw materials (Grose,2012). Consumer awareness needs to be addressed to make all generations, most importantly millennials and generation z aware of the hidden cruelty behind the fur industry as well as the damaging effects of faux fur to direct change. Consumers are influenced by what other consumers are influenced by and wearing (Rath et al 2015). The social impact theory suggests that the probability of influence increases depending on the number of people involved and the importance of the influencers (Rath et al, 2015). In 1985, respect for animals created a video that shown a run way with models wearing furs covered in blood which was wildly popular and successful for spreading awareness at the time.
There are currently several fashion ethics organisations that work to promote the damaging effects of the fashion industry, including the fur industry. Fashion Revolution promotes the impact of fast fashion and organises protests globally. Their instaggram page is definitley worth havibg a look at as they adress all thats wrong with the linear approach of fast-fashion (fashionrevolution.org,2018). Fashion for good has also created an online platform through social media to address fast-fashion issues (fashionforgoogd.com,2018).
Fast fashion and faux coats are extremely damaging, Currently, we follow a linear approach with our consumer habits, “eating into a finite of resources” (Mearthur,2011). Consumers desire “newness” (Muthu,2018). Supply chains are driven by fast clothing and disposability (Grose,2012). For fashion to thrive in the future, we must change to a circular economy (makefashioncircularinstagram, 2018); so that everything produced can be resold, recycled or re-purposed into something new (ellenmacarthurfoundation.org,2018).
Evidentially, there is a consumer demand for supply chain transparency. The fur industry needs drastic changes on both ends of the spectrum; in supply chain and in the product lifecycle. There is new demand for corporate responsibility and how they can be incorporated into organisational practices through branding and consumer awareness which can be addressed through the media to encourage impact for change. And Isn’t having fur in any form on a catwalk still propagating the idea that fur is still fashionable, and that cruelty is on- trend?
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