The world is changing and, with it, our approach to consumption. As the impact of global warming worsens, many consumers are rethinking what they buy, and how much of it. “Local”, “organic” and “minimalism” are all buzzwords many of us are drawn to, and some people question the need to eat animals, or wear leather and fur. Where does that leave us with animal use?
The use of animals is an ethical dilemma that many people question, but most people agree that if animals are well-treated, they are not in danger of becoming extinct, none of the animal is wasted, and the animal is put to good use, then it is acceptable for us to use and consume them.
SEE ALSO: WHY FUR IS THE ETHICAL CLOTHING CHOICE
Animal use is an integral part of many people’s lives, and is linked to essential products in our everyday life, such as medication, food, and clothing. Animals are used in medical testing in order to find cures to life-threatening diseases. We eat animals and while some people question the need to do this, there is plenty of evidence it can be done without harm to our planet. In fact, lots of land is better suited for pasture than for cultivation. And remember that animal manure is used to replenish the soil to grow crops. But if we are concerned about possible impacts, a small reduction in the amount of meat we consume – and waste – can go a long way. And lastly, we wear many types of animal products in order to protect ourselves from the elements. Fashion may not be essential, but clothing is. The need to keep warm in cold weather is a matter of life and death.
If you live in a cold country, you’ll need clothing that can protect you from the elements, and your choices should involve leather, fur, and other animal products. Why? Because there are no viable alternatives.
If we really care about the environment (and we all should because nothing else matters if we don’t have water and food and clean air), we will want to buy sustainable fashion products that use production processes that are not too harmful to the environment, that are long-lasting, and that are biodegradable. That is exactly what animal skins are. Yes, they aren’t perfect; leathers and furs use chemicals in their processing and finishing (like all other textiles), and sometimes the farming has an environmental impact. But when you consider how long a good fur coat or high-quality leather bag lasts, you’ll realize that the environmental damage is minimal compared to the lifespan of the item.
So here they are, the five reasons why we must all wear leather and fur, and these reasons all point to the fact that there are simply no viable alternatives.
1. There are no alternatives that are biodegradable. The synthetic alternatives to fur and leather take much longer to biodegrade (50 years for treated leather vs. 500+ years for pleather), and even when they have “biodegraded”, there are still remains of the plastic particles in the soil, which we are now finding in our oceans and inside fish. Truth About Fur is in the process of conducting an experiment to prove that real fur biodegrades much faster than “faux”, and the results are more dramatic than even we expected.
2. There are no alternatives that are sustainable. Synthetics are made from petroleum by-products. You probably know that petroleum is not a renewable resource. The problems caused by the extraction and transport of petroleum are only a part of the issue, let’s not get started on the political issues (read: wars) that are caused by petroleum. Animals are a renewable, sustainable resource. (Actually, wool, down, and cashmere and other similar materials are sustainable, so these are certainly viable alternatives when it comes to winter coats. But the animal rights activists are against those, too, since they come from animals. Usually a sensible winter wardrobe would combine fur, leather, down, wool, and cashmere – you’ll never be cold.)
3. There are no alternatives that are as long-lasting. While a fake fur or leather jacket may be sitting in a landfill for a few hundred years longer than its real counterpart, that doesn’t mean it is longer lasting in a fashion perspective. When well cared for, fur and leather items can last for decades, but fake leather and fur hardly do the same. Both look worn out much faster (and not in a cool way – like worn out leather), and they also don’t maintain their warmth or waterproof qualities. You don’t find many fake leather bags being handed down from one generation to the next, do you?
4. There are no alternatives that are as environment-friendly. The points above do a good job of making this argument, but we can add to this by talking about the processing. Yes, leather and fur require chemicals for processing (leather requiring more than fur as you need to remove the hairs from leather, whereas with fur you are aiming to protect them). But two important things to consider here are that (1) the chemicals used to “dress” furs are really quite benign, e.g., alum salts (which are sold in the pharmacy to add to your bath water for sore muscles), and (2), the longevity of leather and fur items means that the chemicals per wear are much less than a synthetic alternative. Your leather bag or fur coat may have used chemicals in its production, but the fact that it lasts you 30 years makes it a more environment-friendly option than the synthetic version, made from a non-renewable resource that requires chemicals in its processing, which then looks tatty after two seasons. Another important thing to consider is that no synthetic material looks good in its natural state, while fur is frequently used in its natural state (meaning its natural colours), reducing the need for bleaches and dyes.
5. There are no alternatives that are as safe. We’ve yet to fully understand the bodily harm coming from wearing synthetics, but there’s a great deal of research that shows that synthetic materials may contribute to health issues such as infertility, respiratory diseases, and cancer. Why take the risk when there are natural alternatives?
If you truly care about the planet and its inhabitants, you’ll make consumption decisions based on what’s best for us all. You might refuse to eat animals or watch them being used as entertainment, but it is impossible to deny that synthetic clothing is causing irreparable harm to our planet. Choose materials that are sustainable, long-lasting, and biodegradable. Choose fur and leather because there are no viable alternatives.
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Appreciate the insight! How do we strike a balance between staying warm and minimizing environmental impact?
Finding the answer to your question requires study and thought on your part. The biggest question you need to ask yourself is, “Are the materials used to make my clothing sustainable?”
Nice post and good reasons to wear leather fur. Thanks for sharing.
We are all hypocrites.
We buy the cheapest things from the far east (not just talking about clothes), made in horrible conditions, shipping all over the world. We use electricity coming from felled trees transported from the other side of the planet. All because we want things to be as cheap as possible.
And yet we are here claiming what’s best for the mother nature, probably while sitting on ikea furniture.
Pro-fur people missing the point that animals in captivity (which is very likely a very small enclosure like a cage, ) is already considered as “cruelty” by anti-fur people and goes against the argument of “treating the animals well”.
Anti fur people missing the point that this article is completely about how synthetic materials cause more harm to the environment once they are produced.
But should we stop with these synthetic materials? As the world of synthetic materials is extremely new compared to leather and fur, there is a good chance that technology can still develop to a point where the downsides will -literally- go away. And to be honest, i would encourage that, because in my eyes foxes don’t belong in a small cage. (just like any other living being)
There is probably nobody who has a “positive” impact on the environment.
Sent from samsung galaxy 10+
Klaas, you only speculate that synthetic technologies might be more ecological in a distant future. Let’s talk about the presence! Synthetic technologies burden environment extremely, while natural materials don’t. Fur fashion cost individual animal lives, OK, this is its “downside”, but from a broader perspective, it is a ecologically responsible choice to the mother nature. In your opinion, foxes and other animals don’t belong in a small cage. That is objectively indeterminable. However, do you eat meat and wear leather? You could not if no animal lived in captivity. Animals are caged in ZOO, laboratory animals are kept to be used for production of medicines. So, the reality is that animals are caged and most people are animal users. Pig is more intelligent than dog, but we slaughter and eat tons of them. From my point of view, if I admit pigs to be caged, I admit foxes, too. Pigs are used just for consumption, while foxes are used for valuable and ecological clothing…
Hello folks,
Just stumbled across your site and must imediately confess I’m blown away by the articulacy of your pro-fur arguments. Thank you for elucidating such a stance with empirical data that I can augment my hitherto seemingly subjective position with.
I have long been an advocate of that which has undeniably been such an integral part of man’s progression, all the way from the cave to the combustion engine. To deny otherwise is to deny our ancestry and indeed to deny our forebears of their prescience, wisdom and resourcefulness.
That said, can you please help with an issue that has been vexating me for some time now. I have recently been challenged by some of us fur fans (to coin an abject label) as to what is the most efficient way to adorn oneself with fur. Some contend – skin to skin, whereas others – animal fur to human skin. I endorse the former but purely from convention, to which admittedly I can add very little in the way of empirical data resorting to little else than admittedly rather subjective hyperbole. Can you assist at all?
Hi Neil,I don’t think this counts as empirical evidence, but the long history of fur usage strongly indicates a preference for wearing fur on the inside when warmth is your main concern. Back in the Middle Ages in Europe, poorer people wore sheepskin or dog fur on the inside. Most other furs like fox were for the wealthy only, and they started a trend of wearing fur on the outside as it allowed them to show off their wealth and status. But who knows … maybe they wore fur on the inside too, to keep warm!
It’s worth noting that in traditional Inuit garb designed for working in very cold weather, there are two layers of caribou fur. The one on the inside is fur in, and the one on the outside is fur out.
So, in short, the lesson we can learn from people whose No. 1 concern is to stay warm, the fur goes inside.
Hope this helps!
You are totally full with [expletive]. Nobody needs fur and leather and they are thus needless. I live in a cold country and for more than 10 years i never wore leather or fur and i keep myself warm. The arguments in the article are a desperate chance to justify animal cruelty so you may not lose clients who are eager to buy fur. Ofcourse, the people who are going to be tricked, are average people who dont care about environment nor animals. There are scientific evidence which shows that fur and leather arent as biodegradable as you might think.
Hi Nikola, you’re totally right if you mean there is no ABSOLUTE need for fur or leather. They cannot be compared with absolute essentials like air, water, or food. And we are happy that you have survived for 10 years without freezing. In an age of advanced petrochemical-based synthetics, anyone could do it if they chose. The central thesis of our argument, though, is that advocating for petrochemical synthetics is not in the long-term interests of the planet, while natural materials are, and especially those like fur with a minimal environmental footprint.
Re: Your point about fur and leather not being biodegradable, I’m afraid you’re just plain wrong. Try it yourself. Bury a piece of fur or leather for a year, then dig it up and see for yourself.
I am a furrier Since the 80s and I dedicate myself mainly to renovating clothes I am Spanish (by the way I am using a translator I ask for understanding in the translation) in more than 30 years of trade the only thing that we have changed are the working techniques but not the utensils, it is a job totally handmade. 20/30-year-old garments enter my workshop, with a knife and a sewing machine, of course my wisdom provides another 20 years of durability. What clothing has this longevity? Add to this and it is a reality that I live daily, the feelings that are present in this garment to renew, here I leave a small anecdote of the day to day in my workshop: DIARY OF A CRAFTSMAN: Today a Client came to try on the garment of renewed mink that he commissioned me, he told me, was from his mother who had passed away. She wanted to modernize it while preserving the essence and initial cut of the garment. I helped him put on his coat … one arm and then the other … he went to the mirror and noticed that his breathing was short, I really saw that the garment fit perfectly but, I was scared to see his sad face and I thought “I must have been wrong” … immediately afterwards tears began to come out of his eyes.
I asked him what was wrong with him and he told me that he had been moved to see the image of his mother reflected and he could not contain himself, my tears were almost leaking too!
Once the first emotion had passed, everything was more normal, with this I want to explain that behind a garment with so much DURABILITY it always has memories and a story behind it.
Yes, the artisan is more ecological because it represents a smaller production in which they use natural material. With this, those who are against using skin that are in their right and respect, but never harass those who decide to use it, respect the freedom to choose.
I am a furrier Since the 80s and I dedicate myself mainly to renovating clothes I am Spanish (by the way I am using a translator I ask for understanding in the translation) in more than 30 years of trade the only thing that we have changed are the working techniques but not the utensils, it is a job totally handmade. 20/30-year-old garments enter my workshop, with a knife and a sewing machine, of course my wisdom provides another 20 years of durability. What clothing has this longevity? Add to this and it is a reality that I live daily, the feelings that are present in this garment to renew, here I leave a small anecdote of the day to day in my workshop: DIARY OF A CRAFTSMAN: Today a Client came to try on the garment of renewed mink that he commissioned me, he told me, was from his mother who had passed away. She wanted to modernize it while preserving the essence and initial cut of the garment. I helped him put on his coat … one arm and then the other … he went to the mirror and noticed that his breathing was short, I really saw that the garment fit perfectly but, I was scared to see his sad face and I thought “I must have been wrong” … immediately afterwards tears began to come out of his eyes.
I asked him what was wrong with him and he told me that he had been moved to see the image of his mother reflected and he could not contain himself, my tears were almost leaking too!
Once the first emotion had passed, everything was more normal, with this I want to explain that behind a garment with so much DURABILITY it always has memories and a story behind it.
Yes, the artisan is more ecological because it represents a smaller production in which they use natural material. With this, those who are against using skin that are in their right and respect, but never harass those who decide to use it, respect the freedom to choose.
It’s fine to wear calfskin as an easygoing dress, yet I would be mindful so as to not try too hard. Calfskin is incredible stuff, yet a little truly goes far. I can’t talk about calfskin shirts since I’ve never claimed one, yet I’m glad to share a few contemplations about jeans.
I found your blog when I was searching “how to wear fur without being abused on the street.” This is what its come down to in an age of protest and social justice. I don’t have the answer and will likely sputter, as usual, the next time someone publicly accosts me. However, I live in Canada, in an area where the daytime temperatures can plummet to -20C (which generally occurs roughly 4 or 5 days over any given winter- sometimes more). On those days, I wear one of my furs as nothing is warmer or more practical. I own two- both vintage minks, full length and extremely warm. Still, I feel guilty leaving the house with them on because inevitably someone will verbally abuse me (worst case) or give me dirty looks. I’m not a young woman. I’m middle aged, a professional and well educated. To be made to feel like a murdering anti-christ for wearing fur, I feel, is completely absurd and outright ridiculous. Still, I have trepidation because we’ve been conditioned to feel this way. Up until the late 90’s, as well as myself, I remember many people wearing fur. Certainly genuine leather. However, since people have become “woke” in our scare everyone with extinction society, everything is a veritable crime against humanity (and animals). Let’s be clear. I love animals. I love hiking, the outdoors, dogs etc. But I also come from a family of hunters who ate everything they killed. We have forgotten that life is a cycle and that we, as humans, have facilitated our progress by killing, eating and using animals, whether PETA likes it or not. We wear fur and leather because its been practical, long lasting and warm for thousands of years! And quite frankly, our right, as the animal kingdom’s apex mammal, to do so.
Dear Liz, your comment is very rational and I could agree with everything you wrote. I wear a fox fur coat, so I am in a similar situation like you, maybe more complicated, because I am man. Walking in it in the city is eye-catching and the reactions are both positive and negative. The more I honour those people who are able to compliment me on it. Definitely I will never stop wearing it because of some vegan loudmouths – and I recommend you the same. Ignore the haters or laugh them and appreciate each single compliment the more. We have to be self-confident and do what is the best for us. Fur belongs to people, belongs to the city streets… To stop wearing fur is exactly what they want. It is absurd: nobody minds my leather shoes, leather jacket, leather bag…- that is everything made from killed animals:). I like animals, too, and I think they should be threated humanely during their lives – however, as you wrote perfectly, we are the “apex mammal”, we dominate animals and we definitely have right to use them, what we have always been doing. For meat, for leather, for fur, today also for laboratory research… It is absolutely natural. I could feel sorry for the foxes or minks killed for our clothing (even killed although I don’t need it to survive). But I have a good feeling from it. Contrary to the meat-breed animals, the product from the fur-bearing animals can serve us for long decades, it gives us a great deal of comfort, it is a perfect renevable ecological natural source… Although I like animals, I feel absolutely comfortable with the fur industry, the fur-bearing animals are really well used. So wear your fur coats, which suit you sure, encourage other people to wear fur and good luck! Lukas
We don’t need to skin anyone in this day and age. The cycle of life does not include caged animals, especially when they are captured from the wild or bred for our exploitation. We are not an apex mammal and might does not make right. You wouldn’t stand a chance against a lion. Just because we can kill and torture animals, doesn’t mean we should. It’s unjustifiable in every single way. A caged fox being skinned on a farm is not the same as your family shooting a wild deer to eat. Although they both take the life of an animal, one has to live a life of confinement because you can’t figure out how to buy synthetic clothing. Have some damn compassion, Liz. If you truly loved animals you wouldn’t wear them or eat them. But you don’t really love animals. All you do is TAKE from them. Nurture and love one animal, but abuse, neglect, torture and kill the others. The world doesn’t revolve around you and you are not entitled to anything an animal makes for themselves. Honestly, I’m proud of those people who speak up against your choices on the street. It’s not the age of “social injustice.” It’s the fact that these practices have gotten worse and worse since our ancestors started doing them. We are in the age of the internet where we can share information instantly. Fur farms and any other exploitive animal industries have been exposed for their true, horrifying, abusive colors; and it’s disturbing that society has normalized it. Some people thankfully are “woke”. Watch Dominion on YouTube and tell me again how humans are the best. From any exploited animals’ perspective, humans are the devil incarnate. I advise you inform yourself of what is really going on in these industries and help to create a better world. What’s wrong with making the world more loving and compassionate?
Yes, you are against the human use of animals in general – that is your personal attitude, but you mustn’t force other people. You see the world only from the beasts’ perspective, but we are people and my perspective is the humans’ perspective. You write: “Just because we can kill and torture animals, doesn’t mean we should.” But we don’t kill animals just because we can. We do it, because we need to eat meat. We need to test medicaments on animals. And we need the animal products for our clothing. Maybe you dislike materials like fur and leather, but they are best materials for many types of our clothing (from a leather belt via a motocycle jacket to a fur coat), so a lot of people like Mrs Liz or me choose those materials rationally. The “appex mammal” was a nice metaphor, but we do dominate all beasts. We are the most advanced creatures in the world, we have sense for beauty, culture, art… Don’t we really deserve the best? We couldn’t defend ourselves against a lion barehanded, but we are clever enough to have invented rifles… It means: We have the responsibilty for the protection of beasts (as species), but we are fully entitled to use them for our benefits. Animals have served us from the beginning of our civilisation. I like them but beasts are not equal with humans. Let’s take an example of the fox (I wear a fox fur coat and a fox fur trim, so I have a special relationship to this beast): Foxes have to live in captivity because of the fur industry, but freedom is no “animal right” (similarly in ZOOs, circuses…). Excluding the freedom, a farmed fox has got everything what it needs for its happy life and finally is killed much more humanely than it would be naturally (predation/disease). I am deeply interested in the fur processing and I know: If a beast wasn’t treated humanely, the fur from it would have bad quality. I fully support this way of the animal “exploitation” and I am proud of wearing natural fur. If you speake about “abusing”, “torturing” etc, you only adopt the emotional animal activists’ language. LOL, we are no “devil incarnate” for the beasts, that has made me laugh! A farmed animal has no clue that people breed it to kill, from its perspective, people are those who feed it, care about it… Objectively, we use animals mostly with responsibility, their exploitation is no evil. And most of all, I find strongly unacceptable, when you approve the aggresion against the fur wearers on the street! That is so rude to Mrs. Liz, she is afraid to walk on the street! Have respect to her! These probably young people deserve to get pretty slaped! Moreover, her fur coat is vintage. Should she throw it away? Wouldn’t it be disrespectful to all the minks which had to die for it? Dominion is sth that I woudn’t watch, but you should read more this blog, it can be very didactic for you. Its autors know much more about fur than activists who made Dominion.
It’s difficult to portray exactly how delicate and agreeable calfskin jackets are without wearing one for yourself
Whether you are buying your husband, boyfriend, brother or young man who wants to treat yourself to luxury fur products, it is wise to make a serious decision. There are many things to consider when buying a fur coat for men. Because fur is often very expensive as a garment, it is an investment. With proper care, big and tall plus size will last more than 20 years, even with normal wear and tear! https://onlinefur.com
I like the idea that natural materials for clothing are more environmental because they can last longer when taken care of and can decay when they’re thrown away. My wife and I want to get better winter clothing this year to hold up against the cold. Maybe something non-synthetic would be a good choice for us.
This is ridiculous. There are MANY vegan alternatives for leather and fur which doesn’t harm the environment. Not everything is synthetic. Only idiot soulless people supports animal cruelty! Just ask world renowned fashion designers (Dontella versace, victoria beckham, Antonio Berardi and countless others) who have ditched fur! LA and the state of California has banned fur! NY and Toronto will be next! Poor excuse to anally/vaginally electrocuted, steel traps, shoot, and bludgeoned helpless animals. All those who support fur are in support of animal cruelty! Shame on fur wearers. If you are so concerned about the enviornment, animal agriculture and meat is the #1 cause for global warming, animal extinction, and famine. People are still acting as if they live in the stone age. You don’t need to wear fur to keep yourself warm.
Nesha, you make several claims which are hard to support with facts. For example, all clothing materials have some environmental impact, while the most common “vegan” material, cotton, is well known to have a devastating environmental impact, not to mention the countless animal lives that are lost as a result of the environmental degradation it causes. There are several other debatable points you make, so let’s pick just one. How is animal agriculture the #1 cause of animal extinctions? Conservationists the world over are unanimous that the #1 reason is habitat loss due to a variety of human activities, of which animal agriculture plays a very small part. Of course there are cases of damaging animal agriculture such as clearing rainforest for cattle ranching, but by and large animal agriculture takes places in highly confined areas or, when free-range, it may change or even benefit the environment, but does not destroy it in the way that crop agriculture often does. Plus, of course, if North America were to go vegan and abandon both intensive and free-range animal ag, more land would be given over to soybeans and the like, so how would this reduce the threat to wildlife, and more specifically, how would it stop species going extinct?
Hey dear, Thanks for sharing such great stuff. I very agree with this point “5. There are no alternatives that are as safe. We’ve yet to fully understand the bodily harm coming from wearing synthetics, but there’s a great deal of research that shows that synthetic materials may contribute to health issues such as infertility, respiratory diseases, and cancer. Why take the risk when there are natural alternatives?”
I found it interesting that you said that synthetic shoes are made from petroleum. My sister told me that she wanted to get a pair of comfortable shoes because she is always walking at her job. I{m going to let her know about trying leather shoes to check for its comforts.
Well to be honest! People forget their loved one! Reason? This world is like a stage and everyone plays their role and vanish! but sometimes people takes time to get over things and they are people not from the blood but those who have they spent time so much and have good bounding. But still one shoes doesn’t fit for all! I agree with your few concepts but in the end it all depends on the person who is suffering from!
Leather jackets have gained iconic status.
They are generally gray, black or brown in color.
Today, The leather jacket is not only outerwear which provides comfort during winters,
it has been connected to various subcultures and even complete lifestyles.
One of its best uses is the intimidating appearance it offers to the wearer.
The world is changing and, with it, our approach to consumption. Animal use is an integral part of many people’s lives, and is linked to essential products in our everyday life, such as medication, food, and clothing.
Very well said! I take animal use for granted – and we really should use animals, because they are a natural, renewable resource and they serve all 3 purposes (food, clothing, medical experiments) much better than any other material does. I hate activists, that try to put animals on equal footing to humans. I respect the value of animals’ lives, but the quality of people’s lives is more valuable. When a cow is killed humanely for meat and a leather jacket or a fox for a fur coat, it brings benefit for people and it is a good fulfilment of the life of the animal.
A vegan who loves wearing leather. I see absolutely no contradiction in following a plant based diet and wearing full leathers. Leather is the by product of meat eaters. It is only ecologically sound to use the skin of the animals. Rather than the hide go into landfill what can be more environmentally aware than using the skins to make usable artifacts. Leather is a very durable and long lasting material. People have been known to have had leather items of clothing for decades. Leather clothing lets people make very powerful and personal statements. Wearing black leather projects a strong personality within element of conformity whilst still promoting strong individualism.
Leather is durable enough to be used as safety clothing. Look no further than your average biker. Leather is the usual choice for a biker jacket, jeans,gloves and boots. Here we can see the conformity to group mores of motorbike culture. The strong individualism is often expressed by customising the black leather jacket with studs, chains, badges and patches. These can vary depending on individual choice and preferences.
Leather is not only hard and durable. It can also be soft, sophisticated, sexy and sensual. This is why leather as an allure beyond other materials. It provides the opportunity to be encased in another skin. This gives leather an advantage over other alternatives such as vegan leather, wool, or even fur. However when fur and leather are worn together OMG.
Hi,
Well I agree that fur and leather are much more sustainable than petroleum, I was just wondering about the chemicals used to treat and create the products. What chemicals are they? Are those chemicals being regulated? Are they being reused? Can alternative chemicals be used instead? Genuine questions I have about the process.
Hi Abbigail, We have some information on the chemicals used in fur-dressing here: https://truthaboutfur.com/fur-processing-techniques As with every aspect of the fur trade these days, fur dressing is regulated, but your questions suggest you may be under the impression that harsh chemicals are used. This is no longer the case, and is a myth perpetuated by animal rights groups.
That was a really well written blog article. I specialize in offering furs and come in contact with some who are anti-fur yet they have leather bags, belts, wallets, shoes, etc.; and don’t think of anything of it. I did not think about other products we use that are made from animal by-products.
OF course someone from the Fur trade industry would promote wearing animal skin and fur! Nice try! Your arguments are weak and lack ethic. It is painfully evident you are promoting fur and leather sales to profit your businesses. I highly doubt you care about the earth and sustainability.
When the pain subsides, please explain why our arguments are weak. Thank you.
Prove it. Give one fact that doesn’t come from PETA that can disprove anything they’ve just said. How is wearing a rabbit skin more damaging to the environment than plastic? No emotion please, just facts.
Wow…this is not an argument, it’s an emotional outburst. Mankind has been using the skins of animals since the beginning of time. Some would argue it is biblical in scope, as in “God gave man dominion over the animals.” In any case, whether eating meat or wearing the skin of an animal, for whatever reason, is that not fulfilling the purpose of the animal in the first place? Animals are here for people, not the other way around. Is there nothing more pleasurable than a soft, supple leather or a lovely fur? The animal’s welfare is important. But it is also true that humans have rights and animals do not, other than being treated humanely. Let’s treat animals in a humane way and enjoy what they have to offer us; their meat and their skins.
A very good article. And I fully agree with your comment, Michael, although it isn’t “PETA-friendly” 🙂 You’ve written it perfectly! Personally, I MUST wear fut firstly, because it is simply the most comfortable, soft and elegant material. That’s enough to love it… I would never wear faux fur. Of course it is pleasant to help to the environment and to the healthy animal population management by buying real fur, additionally. The anti-fur “arguements” are purely emotional: Lovely animals have to be killed only for someone’s warm clothing, how unjust… I like animals and I also like foxes, whose fur my fur coat is made of. But naturally I eat meat and wear leather every day – and fur is only another form of use of animals. Yes! We are humans, we use animals, how we have always done, there’s nothing bad about it! Only nowadays, some young urban people, having never seen a living cow, eat meat, but oppose to wear fur, because “fur comes from animals:” ). That hystery is what I hate. I am proud to wear fur: it keeps me in warmth and comfort and it is healthy both for me and for nature!
So true Caryn! Some leathers are from exotic animals and are not byproducts…snakeskin, lizard…but much of the leather used…lambskin, cowhide, sheep, etc., is a byproduct of the meat industry. If most people eat meat, why not use the skins for natural and beautiful products like you mention? There is so much hypocrisy, especially about leather vs. fur. Both are animal products. Both are natural and sustainable. And both feel and look really good and produce that special feeling that comes from the real thing!
i like this blog thax
Thanks, Lucas! Nice comment and I completely agree. My girlfriend is very fur friendly and we both buy furs for each other, along with some very nice leathers. Lambskin slacks for her, a new lambskin jacket for me for Christmas. There is no denying the very special feeling only real fur and leather produces, it is a feeling of owning a special, sensual luxury. There is nothing else like it. Why deny the truth that people love fur and leather and the animals that provide it simply have their role to play. Many would not even exist if it wasn’t for the fur and leather industry.
Thank you for your answer, Michael. Would like to see you and your girlfried once, because you must look perfect in winter! And you describe the feeling of wearing fur and leather exactly. Wearing fur is not only about the qualitilies, but there is also a special feeling of the luxury, that you are in a natural material, made from real animals… That’s what gives the value to our garment. And of course it is the fulfillment of the animals’ lives, because that animals do live only in order to become our food or our leather/fur garment! For example, a farmed fox eats and sleeps only and is useful for nobody untill it is skinned and manufactured into a warm fur. I don’t have anything against foxes, they are nice animals. But the animal lovers’ idea, that I mustn’t wear fur so that no fox suffers, is totally ridiculous for me :-)! I see the animals’ value (wild animals included) mainly with regard to the humans. Nowadays, animals’ suffering is minimalised due to humane slaughtering anyway. Fur is completely sustainable, ecological and perfect for the wearers and for our planet. So the fur opposers can use no arguements, but sentiment only.
An interesting and useful article, I love reading it, thanks for sharing
and thats why you are finding. that doesnt necessary mean that you wear them to LOOK. but not the least romantic and dont wear them to flash…oldfashioned. I guess we has different.
Hi there,
I found your arguments very intriguing as you went on and stated that wearing fur and leather are more environmentally friendly than wearing petroleum-based fabrics. But can you tell me the different kinds of chemicals used to treat cow hides in order to produce leather, and can you tell me how much methane and ammonia are released from the amount of animal excrement on fur farms around the world?
And judging by the comments above, most people aren’t aware how coyote’s and wolves are treated before they are slaughtered “Humanely”, ‘Cough, Cough’. I would just like to hear your opinion as I am genuinely interested in this topic and have produced many research papers as a result of the treatment of animals on fur farms, as well as having quite a lot of experience in fur farms in North America as well as in China and South Korea.
Hi William, there are several questions here, so let’s keep it brief. Leather production is not the same as fur dressing as the hair has to be removed. Since it’s really not our area of expertise, you should be asking this question to a leather producer. And since leather is produced in many countries, you will doubtless find different regulations governing the release of effluents into the environment. Re: methane and ammonia production by farmed animals, there are many studies on this, but you can be quite sure fur farms are not major contributors. Methane seems to be more of a problem with ruminants such as cows, while problems associated with excessive ammonia concentrations seem to arise with truly large-scale livestock operations such as some dairy cow farms. Even the largest fur farm is tiny by comparison. As for the “treatment” of coyotes and wolves, our readers are surely more aware of the truth than the general populace, since many of them are trappers and wildlife managers. But since you have produced “many research papers” on fur farms, and have worked on them on two continents, you surely know the answers to many of your own questions already, right?
Great post and thanks for sharing! Nice to see truth and reality injected into the conversation. I wrote a similar piece if you’d like to take a look. The article focuses mostly on the history and function of the clothing if you’d be interested. Thanks again!
https://softtracks.org/2018/01/19/a-few-thoughts-on-fur/
Hello! i really liked your post. Please share some more
Why does your article say nothing about animals being skinned alive, tortured, and abused for leather, down, and fur? Have you ever been to fur farms? Just google it, I bet you will never ever want to wear fur again
Hi Tatyana, rest assured that every member of the Truth About Fur team has spent time on fur farms. Collectively, we have first-hand knowledge of every aspect of the modern fur trade. Farmed furbearers are never skinned alive or “tortured” because (a) it would be morally wrong, and (b) it would make no sense to do so. Please see our post “5 reasons why it’s ridiculous to claim animals are skinned alive” (https://truthaboutfur.com/5-reasons-animals-are-not-skinned-alive/).
If you ever come across a video of farmed furbearers being skinned alive that meets the following criteria, please email us and we will investigate. (1) The animals are being raised for fur. (2) The video was not produced by, or use footage from, Swiss Animal Protection. If it shows footage of an Asiatic raccoon being skinned alive in a Chinese market, this video was almost certainly staged. PETA and many other animal rights groups still promote this video.
You are without a brain when typing your comment. While there is no doubt that in certain countries animals are being tortured and sick individuals take pleasure in the torturing of these animals it has nothing to do with the article’s argument that animal fur & skins as well as animal products are vastly superior. Of course we would obtain them in a humane way and we would not torture the animal. rather they would probably have them put down in a humane way and after they have died, their skins, furs removed and all other important parts such as meats etc.
Right! I’ve been studying synthetic materials since entering the petroleum field and have been shocked at what I’ve found. These synthetic petrofibers are terrible for the environment and provoke immense issues when manufactured and when eventually disposed of. Ultimately the world could do better by using natural furs and skins, as well as cotton and hemp materials, to avoid the accumulation of non degradable materials we’re throwing away daily by the ton.
I’ve enjoyed furs in a limited way all my life, and my recent exposure to synthetics make me more apt to purchase natural materials in the future.
Wow! That’s a different approach to the topic. I agree that it is natural and for ages we were using them, now the fashin and ecology is pushing whole world to think differently. But anyways, it is personal matter 🙂
The arguments posted here( seem for the most part) genuinely thought through. We all can only speak about what we know. I have never lived in a -0 climate. Sorry if I used the wrong term. I do not know how animals are treated from one farm to another. I have seen some factory farms and that alone caused me to check out animal rights groups. It would seem thinking logically that there are many ways to handle animals and to different variants the degree of what humanely treated means. Individual, family, religious, region etc. What is the environmental impact of such pre-stated? I mull this all through my aching head constantly. I have trouble with the folks who think it’s any worse to eat a pig in one culture/ region than a dog in another. The intelligence of animals not only mirror other animals, but said humans as well. What we do or not to animals, plants, the environment etc. effects everything and everyone on this planet, (and at least some outer space?). I personally am struggling with eating anything that had a face. Partly because I have no idea how this animal met it’s death and I’ve no clue what chemicals it was exposed to or injected with. Can I even feel safe physically or consciously with wearing leather or fur for instance: because it’s stated that the animal died of natural causes, was humanly treated during it’s life, lived on chemical free land and was fed only organic GMO free food per it’s individual need.The same can be said for my dilemma of the aforementioned ” with a face”. I believe that I would truly be kidding myself. Even if I did the entire process myself, I’ve heard that none of the water on this planet remains non polluted and animal feed is never GMO free ? That I can imagine is true. “Wow” I didn’t expect I had quite so much to say. I can understand most of the arguments here. I myself have some real fur coats that I found at a re-sale shop. To whom and in what way would the fact that I purchased them and I used the garments matter? I could go on… anyone can. Im open to appropriately stated arguments or agreements. I’m not sure anyone will even see this. Hmmm?
I have no idea about fur but now leather accessories are in demand like leather jackets, leather coats, biker leather jackets etc.
Wait, did you say synthetic fur is not environment friendly?
I saw this article in my debate homework(I am from south korea), and I found this again in Google.
If you say that synthetic fur is harmful for the environment, do you MEAN that synthetic fur is not harmful at all? The substances that go in the animal fur and leather we are wearing, they also harm the environment. And animal killing can harm the environment too. You can use vegan clothing like cotton,etc as an alternative to this.
Well, I hope you can all change your minds with this reply.
I’m afraid we meant what we said. All clothing made from petrochemicals, including fake fur, is very harmful to the environment. Everything humans do has an impact on the environment, and that includes cotton and other forms of monoculture, which remove habitat, harm the soil, and incidentally kill large numbers of smaller animals. We’re glad you’re committed to researching your clothing choices, and encourage you to continue.
OK you PETA folk & radical vegan-vegetarians! Fur/leather/wool/feathers/cashmere/fleece/down has been used since the beginning of human history! Were folk like the Eskimo/Inuit/Aleutians/American Indians living in cold temperate areas of North America, Europeans(especially northern Europeans/Russians/Siberian peoples have always used these animal products to keep warm!!!!! OK in the last 100-130 plus years synthetic materials have been used in addition to natural materials! Even though in the last 30 or so years synthetics have improved like “thinsulate” e.c.t. it seems that naturals still work better especially in the colder & coldest areas! Synthetics work with lesser cold/chilly/cool & mild weather & in meso-thermal climates, than the freezing/sub-freezing/sub-zero cold in micro-thermal climates! I live in semi-tropical zone ten south Florida & it use to be we could wear winter clothing sometimes in the winter but this almost never happens now! I wish that at least in the winter it would go back to what it use to be back 40-50 plus years ago with frost happening several times during the winter & occasional cool days that almost neverhappen anymore! we can go 10-12 years without a night-time frost & when frost happens it is patchy & light! I always saw myself ice-skating & into other winter sports if I lived in a cold micro-thermal continental climate !!!!! BTW the few temperate decidious trees here in south Florida like the Bald Cypresses mock & imitate the tropical & subtropical trees in their leaf exchange from October til April/May! Tropical trees can loose their leaves but the rules are not the same as for temperate decidous trees & it is the dryness in winter & not tempetures & any rainfall can trigger new green leaf growth!
I had no idea that authentic fur clothing can last decades. I can see why this would be something to keep in mind when shopping of fur clothing. My wife loves coats that keep her really warm in the winter. I’ll have to shop around for an authentic fur coat that will last a long time.
For a combination of beauty, durability and warmth, you can’t beat mink or beaver. Feel free to ask us questions if you’re having trouble choosing: [email protected]
Nice post but I don’t wear leather fur I mostly wear leather jackets but after reading this I will try leather fur as well 🙂 I want to appreciate you for sharing
https://www.peta.org/living/fashion/winter-jackets-without-the-cruelty-of-down/
A few alternatives to that leather or down.
Another possibility, although I haven’t looked into it is thinsulate. Another issue is that of throwing away vs giving it to someone else who might need it.
I might not be able to stop you from wearing animals but there are alternatives to killing one for it’s fur, skin, and feathers
Those who think synthetics can replace natural fur and down should consider that most synthetics are made with petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and also that recent research has revealed that synthetic microfibers can cause considerable harm to wildlife: “When washed, plastic microfibers break off and a single jacket can produce up to 250,000 fibers in washing machine effluent. Less than 1 mm in size, they make their way through wastewater plants and into marine environments where they have been found to enter the food chain. Microfibers make up 85 percent of human made debris on shorelines around the world according to a 2011 study.” (https://www.ecowatch.com/story-of-stuff-microfibers-2294645216.html) Perhaps natural fur and down are not such frivolous choices after all.
See also: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/20/microfibers-plastic-pollution-oceans-patagonia-synthetic-clothes-microbeads
Let us consider all aspects, from the toxic chemicals to treat the hides, to the suffering of the animal before, the method of killing, the amount of food to keep them alive till we kill them, and in the case of leather especially, the waste and expulsion of methane, fecal runoff into drinking water, etc, it quickly becomes apparent the small amount of waste you talk about with synthetic material and no waste in lower climate with organic cotton and other plant based material at lower climates is small compared to the enormity of the problems with the leather and fur industry
Do some more research, read the articles on this site, then rethink your stance.
Synthetic petroleum-made clothing should be more ecological than a material completely given by nature! LOL!! In fact, I don’t take seriously anything what PETA says. People mustn’t eat meat, people mustn’t eat eggs, people mustn’t wear leather, people mustn’t wear fur, people mustn’t wear feather, people mustn’t wear wool… And animal rights are untouchable, so coyotes, beavers and otters have the right to harm the landscape, seals have the right to decimate fishes… Sorry, but instead of an animal tyrany, I would prefer pest animals to be controlled and the furs from them to be used for clothing.
WOW… i cant wait till they start making coats out of human skin!!
i’ll buy the one made from the person who wrote this article..
People who compare the fur trade to killing humans are insane. End of story.
It’s not insane. Think about it. The actions to obtain skin would be exactly the same, the so called ”human treatment”, no waste policy, etc.
If there is a moral difference, based on who the victim is, it should be logically supported, no?
ahh what about hemp and wool
Hemp is not going to save you in minus 40 celsius, and wool is great but it is also an animal by-product. If you are against farming, then it would be hypocritical to use wool.
Sheep need to be sheared, it would be cruel not to.
I live up around the 63rd parallel in Canada’s north and I can tell you that after 10 years of attempting to live here wearing a synthetic jacket I finally did what I should have done a long time ago – bought a Canada Goose parka. It’s the only thing that’s warm enough at -40 and the coyote fur has a purpose – it creates a microclimate with your breath around the face to prevent frostbite. Ethical, sustainable harvest and mindful consumption are the key.
It isn’t minus 40 where I am but even at minus 5, if I am standing in the dog park for an hour, I need my Canada Goose to keep me warm. No question that those jackets do the job.
If you read the article on this website – “5 Reasons Why PETA Won’t Make Me Ditch My Canada Goose”, and you have seen the video under number 1 and don’t find it disturbing then there is no humanity in you
… which, we suppose, just goes to show that we all see things differently. We have highlighted that video specifically because it shows the perfect way to dispatch a trapped coyote.
I have no problem to watch animals being dispatched humanely and that video is exactly the case. A perfect gunshot, a quick death, the animal did not suffer. Please don’t write such emotional comments, if you don’t know what you write about. I have read the whole article and I would recommend it to everybody. It describes very nicely, what is the role of the coyote trapping is and how important, but humane way of the animal control it is. I’ve started to think about buying a coyote hide as a decoration…
Leather degrades within 50 years? Are you actually being serious? Antique leather products have been dug up that are tens of thousands of years old, leather isn’t the same as regular animal skin, it is treated with extremely harmful chemicals that are ruining our environment, animal agriculture industry being perfectly fine for the environment you say? you seriously need to do some reasearch.. Animal agriculture is the single most detrimental attribute to our entire planet thanks to the human race being complete incompetent fools that do not realise there is absolutely no need to kill animals and if only everybody else lived a more ethical way then so would the rest of the world because apparently the human race is made up of retarded sheep that cannot think for themselves
They have also found human remains over a thousand years old, but that doesn’t mean all human remains don’t decompose, it just means that sometimes, in very specific conditions, natural items do not decompose.
And living in a ethical way DOES NOT mean living without killing animals. Consuming less is key – less meat, less leather, less fur. But suggesting that a vegan planet would save us all is ridiculous. We are better off using natural resources RESPONSIBLY than trying to turn everyone into vegans and wearing outerwear made of petroleum.
Hi Hermit, you may be relieved to know that Truth About Fur is doing exactly the research you call for, and not just on the Internet. See The Great Fur Burial here: https://truthaboutfur.com/great-fur-burial-part-3/
As Alexandra indicates, special conditions are required for any organic matter to resist decomposition, the most important of which are an anaerobic environment (lack of air) and cold. The samples in our test have spent six months under ground, in winter, and already the leather is frail. We don’t have access to a tropical rain forest, but if the same sample were placed above ground in the Amazon, it would probably have vanished by now.
Interesting article, I love reading it, thanks for sharing
These 5 reasons to wear leather fur are amazing, I always try wearing leather jackets but now I would try this also 🙂 Thanks for sharing something new with me I want to appreciate you for that
Yeah I agree & I appreciate you for sharing this helpful and interesting 5 reasons to wear leather fur, keep on sharing such beautiful and amazing articles
Every living thing ends up food for some other living thing. We humans try to deprive fellow beings of our last contribution by cremation but the combustion products still return to the environment so we will be food.
Early life used CO2 but then plants developed chlorophyll that let them pull carbon from the atmosphere and poop oxygen into it. Life that had been living for eons was devastated and has never recovered. We humans think we are affecting the environment but we are minuscule compared to green plants.
Use of animals by humans is part of a system that has been going on for eons however we are the first to contemplate our role in it.
We are also the first to consciously empathize with those we raise for food and provide for their physical and emotional welfare.
Dying happens to every living thing however when humans end the life of an animal they take steps to do so in a way that is humane. No other animal does that.
We are the most ethical creatures that have ever lived and in that group I include farmers, trappers and abattoirs.
Ken –
While I can agree with your statement that the use of animals by humans is part of a system that has been going on for eons, I don’t quite understand the second part of your statement. We are the first of who? No matter though. What I’d really like to address is your comment that “We are also the first to consciously empathize with those we raise for food and provide for their physical and emotional welfare”. Also your other comment that “…when humans end the life of an animal they take steps to do so in a way that is humane.” O.M.G. Were you high when you wrote and posted these comments?
Do yourself a favor Ken and become informed. Because the fact of the matter is that this world is Hell on Earth for most of the Animal Kingdom.
Pick yourself up a copy of the book titled “Dominion: The Power of Man, The Suffering of Animals, and The Call to Mercy”. You can find a used copy on Amazon for less than $10.00. The Author, Matthew Scully, worked as a Speechwriter in the 2000 Presidential campaign, served as a Special Assistant & Senior Speechwriter for President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2004, wrote speeches for Vice Presidents Dan Quayle & Dick Cheney, Governor Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania, and Bob Dole.
Matthew has done his homework and, based on the comments you posted, I think the facts will shock you. And they should shock you…
I have no idea about fur but now leather accessories are in demand like leather jackets, leather coats, biker leather jackets etc. Biker leather jackets are my favorite. I always search biker leather jackets instead of this I would like to buy leather jackets from my favourite online store.
This can be a tricky topic to cover, but we think you handled it well. A lot of factors go into whether you support genuine leather and furs. We support it because we believe fur is green and a renewable resource. Also there are strict regulations from the state to international levels on the fur trade. Overall, the pros outweigh the possible cons.
This is stupid.
Synthetic clothes are bad for the environment?
Don’t wear them then. Doesn’t mean you have to kill animals instead, does it?
There are alternatives to both faux fur and leather and real fur and leather.
If everyone started wearing fur and leather, the harm to the animals would be unforgivable. It already is. Go and watch some fur farm footage and tell me this isn’t an abominable behaviour.
And it isn’t even sustainable, anyway. You can’t just go and get the fur. First you have to breed countless animals, feed them (those crops have got to come from somewhere) and house them for a few years and then slaughter them and skin them. Not to mention transport. Almost all the leather in the world comes from India and China (from cows that were tortured and abused).
This article makes out like everyone lives in really cold climates. Newsflash; most people don’t.
Stop kidding yourselves. Find real solutions to your problems and do not contradict yourself, it weakens your argument (you talk about it like fashion isn’t important at first and then you blatantly start going on about how cool fur and leather look. Insane.)
Newsflash: most of the readers of this blog probably live in cold climates. This is a blog about the fur trade in North America and one can presume that the majority of its readers live in North America or Europe.
And I’ve done better than watching fur farm footage (which is almost always edited to look horrific or staged), I have been to fur farms myself, in Canada, Sweden Finland, and Denmark. The animals are extremely well-treated.
Also, you don’t always have to breed animals to get fur. There’s this amazing thing called wild fur. It’s all over the hoods of the Canada Goose parkas and countless other coats. Wild fur is completely sustainable.
Meanwhile, fur farms use by-products from the human food chain (fish eggs or broken eggs) to feed their animals, their carcasses are turned into fertilizer or biofuels. Also, there is no transport, they are euthanized on site. Again, the definition of sustainable.
So, tell us about these non-animal, non synthetic materials we can wear when it is cold or raining?