Can Fur be Friendly?

It was reported in the Independant today that ironically, the rise in popularity of faux fur has boosted the genuine fur industry. The days of paint-throwing PETA protests and the supermodel campaigns seem quite distant now. It would appear that wearing fur has become socially acceptable once more. 

Most fashionistas steer towards vintage fur, a la Moss (a style benchmark that few will argue with.) However, The British Fur Trade Association has reported that newly farmed fur has been creeping back into the high street. With the high quality of fake fur that it is also available, it is nigh on impossible to know the difference nowadays. Fu, fake or otherwise, is fur and the debate continues… is fur our friend or our foe?

Well according to a Berlin based ethical fur company, Friendly Fur, it really depends where it came from. Friendly Fur specialise in pelts that have been obtained through environmental means. The animals died because of overpopulation, epidemics and forest management and their skins would otherwise be destroyed.

These ethical origins certainly add another level to the discussion. Would one really want to see animal skins destroyed on principle? I’m afraid my morals don’t win over common sense, if the pelt is a by-product then some might say not using it would be ethically unsound.

The origins of these pelts mean that they are only available in small quantities and currently the company manufactures their own small range of products, using the entire pelt, face, feet and all.. perhaps a little too much detail for most. However there is much potential and any designer wishing for a controversial but ethical collaboration should give them a call.