While many may dislike winter for the cold weather, for others it’s a perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and watch their favorite shows all day long when they’re off work.
However, this may also imply the usage of fur blankets and other garments of animal origin that have become outdated long before the turn of the century.
To no one’s surprise, fur clothing is probably the least sustainable type of clothing out there, and the industry has contributed to the extermination of more than one species of animal, a cycle that’s continued for centuries.
This is also the season when most people bring out their fur garments to wear, as they tend to be much warmer and more resilient to the cold than synthetic coats, but you have to consider the cost and implications of that shiny fur coat you’re wearing.
The fur industry
Needless to say, the fur industry is one based on cruelty towards animals, and every year thousands of rabbits, foxes, and dozens of other wild and domesticated animals are slaughtered for their beautiful fur coat.
The rest is tossed away, meaning that the industry is about as wasteful as they come, and the meat industry at least uses all of the materials the animal has to offer.
As for the domesticated animals whose fur is being collected, they normally live in terrible conditions, ones that you most certainly wouldn’t like to see your furry friends in, so why are rabbits any different?
Of course, the industry sweeps all of this under the rug, hiding it far from the public eye as they’re aware that sales would go down if people were to find out the horrors that unfold in these fur coat factories.
Faux fur
For all intents and purposes, faux fur is just as effective as the real thing, and with how far we’ve advanced our technology, one would have a hard time telling the two apart these days.
On top of this, the demand for organic fur has gone down as the eco-friendly movement gained traction, increasing the demand for faux fur, which has created serious improvements in the manufacturing process.
Because of this, faux fur is much easier to produce and has significantly fewer environmental implications than it did before, seeing as it’s a synthetic material.
Unfortunately, certain manufacturers have managed to bypass the stigma against real fur by labeling their items as being made with faux, something that happened with Kohl handbags back in 2013, yet no one was fined for this blatant lying about their product’s manufacturing process.
While it may be hard to find cruelty-free products on the market lately, it’s important to be aware of just how much of a difference faux can make.
What are your choices?
It’s frustrating enough that purchasing a faux coat also comes with the need to send it to a lab to identify whether it’s actually cruelty-free or not, and the industry only keeps getting worse for the end customer.
Some give up on fur-resembling products entirely, which is never the right answer as it only contributes to the industry finding cheaper and easier ways to mislabel their products and sell them to customers that could care less about cruelty.
However, a solution is always present, and the most logical one is to simply thrift your fur garments, as this way you won’t be directly contributing to the fur industry and you’ll make sure that the piece of clothing doesn’t fall victim to the fast fashion industry.
Respecting the animal that gave its life to make your fur coat or scarf is a crucial part of buying these products, and if you absolutely can’t avoid them, you may as well make sure you’re buying it second-hand.
Take action into your own hands
Finally, you could just decide to make a change in the world by yourself, and even though one person can’t contribute too much if you’re pursuing a noble cause, others are bound to join you sooner or later.
Boycotting fashion brands that use organic fur in their products is the best way to combat this toxic industry, and what better way to do it than on your city’s streets?
Naturally, resorting to vandalism is never the answer, but putting up flyers opposing those products and brands can go a long way, oftentimes more than you’d ever imagine.
People love being part of something much greater than themselves, and you could be the person to begin a revolution against the fur industry, as long as you’re dedicated enough to ending cruelty in fashion.
Animals deserve a long and beautiful life as much as we do, and they shouldn’t have to go through torture for the sake of someone’s winter coat or blouse.