Recent Developments Towards a Fur-free Future

Recent breaking data shows that fur is out, and alternatives are in!

Newest figures by Finnish Fur Breeders' Association - FIFUR show a declining production of skins from farmed mink, foxes, and raccoon dogs in Europe and globally. As of now, figures indicate the production of fur skins in the EU has dropped from 30 million to, possibly as low as, 2.4 million in just five years.

Finland is one of Europe’s major fur producing country. However, Finnish animal welfare organisation, Animalia ’s recent FiFur statistics emphasise how the Finnish fur industry has changed with mink and fox production plummeting by up to nearly 70% in only five years.

Furthermore, the profit margin continues to shrink. Animalia concludes that compared to the previous year, mink pelt prices dropped by 2% (a loss of 6 euros per pelt) and silver fox pelt prices dropped by a noteworthy 13% (a loss up to 50 euros per pelt). Fur farmers are making a net loss, as the cost of rearing a mink for its fur is 35 euros and that of a silver fox is 85-100 euros, which is no longer covered by sales.

Consumers are a driving force for this change with a recent 2023 global survey suggesting the importance of animal welfare in purchasing decisions. In this survey:

• ?“Nearly two-thirds (65%) of adults are aware of animal cruelty issues in the fashion industry.”
• “Eight in ten (81%) very or fairly concerned [about the welfare and treatment of animals farmed for fur].”
• 90% believe that fur farming and the import and sale of fur products should not continue.

As a strong majority is concerned about the conditions of animals bred and raised for their fur, it seems safe to assume consumers will look out for companies with a clear stance against real fur.

To top this all off, countless studies and investigations illustrate how fur production is cruel to animals, bad for the environment, a risk to public health, and completely unnecessary since quality alternatives are available. Thus, scientific evidence is in favour of animal welfare.

Drawing a line between the fashion industry and fur production, you're likely asking yourself where brands stand in all this; with informed and concerned consumers, decreasing profits, and scientific evidence pointing to the many negative consequences of producing fur, some large companies have still not proactively made steps to moving fur-free.

So, where is the disconnect?

Although many signs point to fur as a material of the past, it has been predominant in the fashion industry for so long that brands need a push in the right direction.

The latest brand to communicate their decision to remove real fur from all their future collections was the Italian Max Mara Fashion Group in August 2024 following global campaign activities against the brand’s continued outdated use of fur.

With this welcomed decision, the fashion group joins a growing number of fashion brands going fur-free and strengthens the movement towards animal-friendly fashion.

Momentum is building and from the top 50 apparel brands a resounding 44 are fur-free. Only six brands still sell real fur products or have no clear commitment against real fur; of those, only three are in the top ten, and two are part of LVMH fashion-group.

Similar to Max Mara, not all brands publish internal policies on their webpage making it difficult for consumers to find out whether a company prioritises animal welfare when sourcing materials for their products. However, brands interested in becoming a certified Fur Free Retailer can contact us for more information: [email protected]

With dwindling prices and a declining production volume of fur, along with recent political developments in the EU, the rapid decline of the global fur industry indicates fur farming might be a thing of the past fairly soon.

Our organization’s first protests drew attention to the suffering of fur animals in 1988. Since then, we have continued revealing the suffering of animals, rescuing animals in need and protecting them.

We wanted to kick off our newsletter by tying it to our NGO’s very beginning. FOUR PAWS will continue to use this newsletter to shed light on animal welfare topics, so stay tuned and subscribe.

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