By Ioana Cimpeanu and Florentina Cercel
Wearing fur is known to be a symbol of wealth. However, the impact that fur has on the environment, whether fake or real, should make people wonder whether this trend is worthy for the sole purpose of being fashionable.
The alternative to the expensive real fur industry, is the low-cost option of wearing fake fur. Sarah Elliott, journalism student passionate about fashion believes that faux fur is a great alternative, as it is less damaging to the animals.
“Personally, I don’t wear real fur; I think it’s really cruel. The quality is obviously higher, but I believe fake furs make a real difference in the industry. I would definitely wear a fake fur because I love fashion.”
Environmental activists, however, say that even artificial fur can harm us. While faux fur may not be overtly cruel to animals, it is derived largely from plastic and, in the long run, can cause untold damage to our surroundings – and thus affect the animals we are trying to protect.
“Faux fur is surely better for the environment, but not in the fashion common sense, as it makes a statement,” says Margherita, a science student who did not want to reveal her surname.
One of the panellists at London Metropolitan University’s Should fashion go vegan? debate supports the idea of wearing fake fur. Bel Jacobs, former Metro newspaper fashion editor who is now an animal rights campaigner, told students at a recent debate that no matter if real or not, the idea of wearing a dead animal should not appeal to anyone.
According to the Independent, Britain imported more than £63 million of fashion-related items that were either made entirely from fur or contained real fur in 2017 alone. That’s a lot of dead animals.
The animal rights campaign group PETA says that “Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment or abuse in any other way.”
On different note, Sascha Camilli, founder and editor-in-chief of Vilda Luxe Vegan Living, seems to have found a way to reduce the damage done by furs and leathers. “I work with several projects that have used the Fur Donation Programme. We ask people with fur coats to donate them to us. We give them to homeless people or refugees,” she told students.
“Our view is: This fur exists. Throwing it out is wasteful when we can use it to help people in need.”
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