It is ethical, again, it is said to wear fur. After almost 30 years of educational work, more fur is being sold than ever before. And that although mink, Persian and fox coats have long since disappeared from our streets. They are considered a relic. Even so, 140,000,000 animals are killed every year for their fur, 85% of them painfully in animal factories. Born in spring, they spend the few months they are allowed to live in narrow wire-mesh cages through which the excrement simply falls to the ground and the soles of their feet are torn open. Finally, they are skinned alive or killed by gas, electric shock or a broken neck.

Then the fur from animals from the hunt. Not much better either. The majority is caught with traps. If an animal steps into the trap, it will often dig itself into its flesh up to the bone. The animal goes through a desperate struggle and immeasurable pain. It is exposed to weather conditions, gangrene, hunger, thirst and attacks by predators without protection. Swimming animals are often caught in underwater traps and die a gruesome death from suffocation.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, fox fur from hunting with firearms is particularly important. Here the hunters keep silent about the fact that most of the animals are only shot at and drag themselves through the forest with gaping wounds, broken bones and entrails hanging out. Most animals are found very late or not at all by the hunters and die a slow and miserable death.

A short life for a product that is getting cheaper and cheaper, for pompoms, trimmings or other fashion accessories.

Not only mink and fox, raccoon dogs, raccoons, chinchillas, weasels, squirrels, sheep, lynxes, seals, nutria, coyotes, beavers, muskrats and sables are bestially kept and murdered, also our otherwise so carefully cared for and cuddled pets such as dogs and cats, hamster and rabbits are made into fur.

Conscious consumer deception

Once again the appeal to the consumer not to buy it. The Textile Labeling Ordinance, which has been in force across the EU since 2012, is intended to ensure that they really don’t have to and actually buy faux fur if they want. However, most fur is either incorrectly declared or not declared at all. This means that the labeling is not only ineffective, but also repeatedly leads to consumer deception in that animal furs are sold as artificial furs.

Natural product fur?

Fur is natural and we are led to believe that it is much more environmentally friendly than artificial fur. In fact, however, the rearing of the animals consumes a lot of resources in terms of feed, water and cultivation land, just like in any other factory farming. The excrement that falls through the lattice cages to the ground leads to the acidification of the ecosystem. Skin and hair, precisely because it is a natural product, must be processed further to prevent it from decaying. The fur is first subjected to a chemical tanning, preservation and cleaning process. In addition, dyes, formaldehyde, alkylphenols, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatics and the internationally banned pesticide DDT endanger the health of workers, starting with production, through retailing, and ending with consumers. The chemical toxins that can cause cancer, allergies, irritation of the mucous membranes, nerve damage and hormonal disorders often remain in the fur item that is bought for a long time.