It’s hard to be a fur lover in today’s world. Everywhere you go there are opposers to your choice of fashion. There are even entire websites devoted to stopping the sale and wear of real fur coat in favor of resorting to a more “ethical” alternative: faux fur. However, is wearing faux fur really a good idea? Is it really the better alternative to other types of fur coats? In this blog, we’ll investigate the truth behind this popular claim. Read on to learn more, so you can make the most informed decision for yourself the next time you buy a piece of fur apparel.

Fur’s Rise and Fall

Before we get into the hard facts about faux fur vs. real fur, we should first go into the history of discord against the latter. The “war” against real fur started in the early ‘90s, on the runway. PETA, the current leader in modern warfare against animal cruelty, staged a fashion show and hired five of the decade’s top models to work the runway for them. During the show, all five of these models shed the decadent coats they were hired to wear, and publicly, verbally protested fur fashion to the audience. The display was a convincing one; however, the models in question seem to have not wholeheartedly believed in the cause.

The majority of the models featured in that 1994 runway show, as well as numerous other celebrities of today’s time, have all been spotted wearing a real fur coat as of recent years. Designers are also coming around and featuring real fur within their collections.

So, What Is the Truth?

Despite the all too common message that faux fur is more ethical and environmentally friendly than a real fur coat, evidence points strongly to the contrary. Scientific researchers have in fact found that faux fur can easily produce harmful environmental effects.

Most faux fur is made from synthetic materials. This typically includes such fabrics as polyester, and various other compounds you won’t find in nature. Compare this to a real fur coat, which is usually made from just leather and fur—two known and common types of animal products. Synthetic materials are made to last, and while this may sound like a wonderful quality, it spells bad news for the Earth. Synthetic materials don’t degrade. This means, in the event your fur coat is disposed of, it will be left to sit in a landfill until the end of time.

Furthermore, the way faux fur is produced violates human rights on several levels. The majority of today’s faux fur coats are made in sweatshop environments, where employees are made to work for extended hours in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The process itself requires a hefty amount of travel and resources, the majority of which aren’t easily renewable and even worsens the conditions of our environment.

So, is faux fur really worth it? Ultimately, the final decision is up to you. However, if you decide to ditch the faux fur and invest in a real fur coat, you can always turn to the services of Morris Kaye Furs in Dallas and San Antonio for help! Contact us to learn more about us and what we do.