The year 2019 saw many pioneering and major wins in our work to end the cruelty of fur, both here in the United States and across the globe. For the first time ever, lawmakers in a U.S. state voted to ban all fur sales and manufacturing. The largest clothing retailer in the United States went fur-free. And one of the most iconic fashion houses in the world pledged to end its use of fur.
Here are some of the biggest gains of our fur-free campaign in 2019:
- California became the first U.S. state to ban the sale and production of fur. The Humane Society of the United States helped lead the battle for this historic vote.
- We worked with Macy’s Inc., the parent company of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, to announce that it will stop selling all fur and permanently close its 56 fur salons and vaults.
- Following a global effort spearheaded by the HSUS, Humane Society International and the Fur-Free Alliance, Prada, one of the world’s biggest fashion houses, announced it will go fur-free—including for its Miu Miu, Church’s and Car Shoe brands.
- Fashion labels 3.1 Phillip Lim and St. John announced bans on both fur and leather made from the skins of exotic animals after consultation with us.
- The British luxury department store Selfridges announced a policy banning leather made from the skin of exotic animals, becoming one of the first department stores to do so.
In October, HSI released a shocking and heartbreaking undercover investigation of fur farms in Finland, shedding light on the suffering that wild animals like foxes, raccoon dogs and mink are forced to endure for items as frivolous as trim on a coat and pom poms on a hat. The video grabbed the attention of some powerful voices in United Kingdom, which imports large quantities of fur from Finland each year, and led several members of parliament to issue strong statements calling on the government to take swift action to ban the sale of animal fur.
Other notable successes for the fur-free movement globally include:
- In November, our #FurFreeBritain campaign to ban fur sales in the United Kingdom received a major boost when it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II has rejected new fur in her wardrobe.
- London Fashion Week was fur-free for another year in a row, and Islington became the first London borough to ban the sale of fur in its markets.
- The year 2019 saw the closure of the last fur farm in Germany, and Slovakia became the 15th European country to end fur farming.
Thanks to our work—and caring consumers who are shunning fur every day—the cruel fur trade is in rapid decline. Innovative materials, like the new Koba faux fur, a corn-based alternative that has the same look and feel as fur, have also continued to hit the market, proving just how unnecessary this commodity is in our times. Last week, comedian Ellen DeGeneres launched her faux fur brand, UnHide.
A good indicator of how effective our campaign against fur has been came in a recent study about Russia’s mink industry that pointed out the fall in profits at global [fur] auctions clearly shows that the fur industry has been hit hard by the leading global designers who have implemented a fur-free policy. “No seller wants to spoil his/her brand with the image of a tortured animal that was kept in unsuitable conditions (tiny and cramped cages) before being gassed or electrocuted,” the report added.
When even some of those in the fur industry acknowledge that fur is dying, we know we are winning this battle. In 2020, we will keep up the pressure against this cruel enterprise as our work with top brands, designers and retailers continues. We will also continue to lead the charge to ban furs in cities, states and other nations. Please join me as we celebrate this monumental year for animals who are the true victims of fashion, and look ahead to a brighter future for animals everywhere.
