Agrowing fur industry took a big hit last week when the nation’s largest retail store said it will stop selling such products by the end of next year.
In a Spotlight News online poll, an overwhelming majority of respondents said they do not wear fur. Less than 100 people (61) responded to the 24-hour poll, but 90 percent revealed they did not wear fur.
Animal rights activists have long-protested against the fur industry, citing cruelty to the animals that produce pelts for coats, hats and more. An expensive status symbol that sometimes triggered attacks, including paint tossed at the one wearing such a coat.
Last week, Macy’s announced it would stop selling furs. In an Oct. 21 statement, the nation’s largest retail chain said it would stop selling furs by the end of its 2020 fiscal year. The stoppage is to carry through into the chain’s exclusive Fur Vault stores, its salons and Bloomingdales. The move away from fur falls in step with an apparent trend within the fashion industry. In 2017, Gucci decided that it, too, would go fur-free. Michael Kors and Versace did the same.
Macy’s about-face from fur comes after a two-year review of consumer and brand trends, said Jeff Gennette, Macy’s chairman and chief executive officer.
“Macy’s private brands are already fur-free so expanding this practice across all Macy’s, Inc. is the natural next step,” Gennette stated. The decision comes after consulting with its customers and scores of other entities, including the retail chain’s Go Green Employee Resource Group and the Humane Society of the United States. “We remain committed to providing great fashion and value to our customers, and we will continue to offer high-quality and fashionable faux fur alternatives.”
The campaign against the multi-billion dollar industry has been unrelenting through the years. Type “fur industry” into YouTube’s search bar and you will open yourself to several indelible images of how fur is harvested off animals. “One Minute of Reality: Fur Industry” is a graphic, one-minute video. Despite deft editing to conceal the immediate result of a clubbed seal and other instances, there are bloody and violent images supporting claims of animals skinned while still alive.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals heralded Macy’s announcement as a victory. In a statement, PETA recalled its orchestrated protests blocking the store’s Herald Square location, and disrupting New York City’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, of which Macy’s sponsored. In all, the organization said supporters have taken “hundreds of thousands of actions” since the 1980s.
“PETA members never gave up,” stated the activist group in a press release, “and now we’re toasting the store’s decision to go fur-free.”
Just as soon as PETA reacted to Macy’s announcement, the Fur Information Council of America shot an opposing message.
“Through intimidation, harassment and pay-to-play politics, a small group of very vocal activists is hijacking consumer’s right to freely choose. They are assuming the moral majority is neither smart enough, nor considerate enough, to make a decision for ourselves,” said Keith Kaplan, of the Council, pointing its argument towards the ill-effects faux furs have upon the environment. Though the war between the two sides has waged several decades, those supporting furs have successfully aligned themselves to the recent Green Movement, thus targeting Millennials.
According to figures from the University of Copenhagen, the farming of mink has skyrocketed in recent years. Mink accounts for more than 85 percent of fur production. After reaching a highpoint of more than 45 million farmed minks in the late 80s, production dropped nearly in half at the turn of the new century. However, since 2000, those numbers have climbed to a peak of 84 million in 2015.
The council attributes the recent success to the influencer lifestyle on social media. Younger customers are trying to emulate the looks of actors and musicians who, in turn, have been more willing to accept fur. Despite the strong protests against fur, the market for it has increased. China is a major factor, becoming the leading produced of mink pelts over the past decade. The production has helped drive prices down for consumers. In the Western Hemisphere, PETA has had an unexpected influence on fur production. According to National Geographic, fur farmers have responded to its opponents.
The farming of fur is not unlike that of the livestock for meat, the animals are bred in captivity for the sole purpose of consumption. The 2016 National Geographic article describes a more conscious industry. Cages are cleaner, containers are designed to maintain a healthier bond between nursing moms and their offspring. Toys are even provided to animals to help reduce the stress from their environments. It doesn’t steal them away from their ultimate fate. In the end, a mink will be picked up from their cage by the tail and dropped into a breadbox-sized container where its filled with carbon monoxide, quietly killing it within minutes.
Younger customers have been attracted to fur through their parents are grandparents. Fur coats are found or passed down as an heirloom. The latter serves as another argument. Faux furs are a product of fast fashion — clothing and accessories assembled quickly and with cheaper material, neither designed to withstand long use. They are bought, worn, and relatively quickly toss away into the garbage. With faux fur fibre produced from petrochemicals, conscientious consumers are left to question their impact on the environment.
Spotlight News received only one comment out of the 61 responses to our poll, one in favor of fur.
“Fur is light and warm,” she said. “It’s more practical and less toxic than synthetics. My husband hunts and we use all parts of the animal. I understand why people react to killing animals just for their fur but I am comfortable with our practices which honor the traditional ways.”
Feature photo provided by Jared Belson
