Whether you're a mink-clad Russian traipsing through snow-covered hills or an American teenager adorned in your grandmother's coat, you're probably familiar with that impending sense of guilt that is sewn into every fur-trimmed garment. Even if your jacket is vintage or ethically sourced, you might not be able to shake the feeling that PETA is going to jump you and steal your warm armor.
Rest assured, you've entered a guilt-free zone. In fact, I'm slightly ashamed to say I am wearing a thrifted rabbit fur vest as I write this. But does the fact that it's second-hand excuse the possibility that it was made by skinning an animal alive? According to a report cited by ACTAsia, once animals in fur farms are skinned, "breathing, heartbeat, directional body and eyelid movements were evident for 5 to 10 minutes." While this is by no means standard practice, the very possibility of it occurring is enough to make my vest suddenly itch.
Faux fur is often championed as the apparent replacement for consumer's ever-growing penchant for all things furry. However, faux fur is almost always plastic- made from fossil fuels. While a faux fur jacket will exist forever in a landfill, a natural fur coat has the benefit of ensured decomposition. Let's think about the 2016 study by Bren Microplastics claiming that 1,174 milligrams of microfibers shed off the average faux fur coat in the wash. These microplastics are responsible for the death of thousands of sea creatures annually. With this in mind, we start to rethink our classification of faux fur as sustainable or beneficial to wildlife.
As long as fur farming is en vogue, farms that exploit their resources and value money over animal welfare will thrive. In this current climate, it's almost impossible to purchase a fur item- real or faux- that isn't somehow unethical. Even fur trappers in Canada, trapping coyotes that are overpopulated and destructive, aren't immune to inhumane practices. Some claim these traps can go unchecked for up to five days, leaving the coyotes to starve to death.
So what about that vintage or second-hand coat? Is that morally reprehensible? Some pose the argument that wearing any fur, even ethical fur, supports all fur. The idea is that popularizing fur by wearing it will lead to unethical fur farms and overproduced faux fur. This is the case with any trend. Sustainable fashion trends trickle down into corners of the internet, where fur can be bought for 6.99 plus shipping. The actual cost could be much more significant.
No one on either side of the discourse is fighting for pollution or animal cruelty. What's most important is to keep our overconsumption in check: do you really need another coat anyway? If the answer is yes, then simply make an effort to purchase the most sustainable option. It probably isn't the faux fur jacket made by sweatshop labor-fueled conglomerate SHEIN, even if it's "vegan." And it probably isn't a brand new mink coat, either, even if it's designer. When in doubt, the answer is always second-hand, vintage, or recycled.
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