Over the past decade, the unification of people against the use of animal fur in the fashion industry has significantly strengthened. Individuals are adapting their fashion choices to fit the ever-changing political landscape in regards to the environment. For years animals have been trapped in cages and killed just to walk down runway shows with a monetary label stamped to their backs. However, a crucial turning point has struck and the fashion industry has finally risen to meet the many screaming voices of animal and environmental activists around the world.
In this new era of fashion many norms and expectations are being thrown out the window to create an industry that will become more eco-friendly. More than ever before, individuals are concerned about how their daily choices will impact the ecosystems around them. People are beginning to swap their grandmother’s lamb-skin coat for something more suitable to their tastes and ethically sound. Thus, fashion brands have followed suit in this trend.
Recently, Gucci pledged to ban the use of fur in their collections starting in 2018. This was titled a huge “game changer” and accomplishment for animal activists everywhere, however some hesitation still remains.
The fur industry is still booming and has actually doubled in recent years. In 2011 global fur sales reached $15.6 billion, then skyrocketed to $40 billion in 2015. It is expected that the sales will decrease as major brands begin to adopt anti-fur campaigns, but it will certainly take time before the fashion industry as a whole is on board with making environmental friendly fashion the new couture.
Additionally, leather is a rapidly growing and booming market, even used in many so called “eco-friendly” brands. And unlike fur, many consumers still feel no guilt in splurging on rich imported leather goods like shoes or handbags. There needs to be alternatives to allow the fashion industry to exist in a healthy environment, without diminishing Earth’s creatures. If brands continue to follow this path of destruction, it will ultimately lead to lack of creativity and brands will overuse Earth’s valuable resources.
Although many activists deem Gucci’s pledge to ban animal fur a revolutionary act in the path to animal rights, Gucci pledges this ban after creating several very successful lines featuring animal fur. Of course, the damage is already done, and I think many animal activists can agree that it is difficult to support a brand that made most of its revenue off leather sourced from mistreated animals. As consumers in the twenty-first century we must focus on the positive changes, but we must also make sure these brand’s choices are genuine. Is Gucci’s pledge to ban fur just a marketing ploy to lure in vegan and environmental activists or are they trying to make a statement about the mistreatment of animals in the industry? Either way, this route will surely lure in a new set of consumers, but is it for the right reasons?
Consumers must remain vigilant and identify brands that are genuinely fighting for the cause and not just using seizing an opportunity to increase revenue in the future. Regardless of their initial intent, these small steps will hopefully impact the dynamics and ethics of the fashion industry in the future; there is no doubt that one less pair of the Gucci Princetown slippers manufactured is one more animal that continues to live and flourish.
Written by Sinead Hornak