Real fur

[Twogoats]

Out of interest, does anyone here wear it?

I don't. I'm veggie and wouldn't wear leather either.

Saying that, it seems to be getting a surge of popularity at the minute!

Not looking for a fight, just curious about people's opinions!

[Lanaorana1]

No. Not a London thing (for Londoners) except for those raccoon trims round parka hoods. Raccoon is shot as a pest in the States hence why it's seen to be more ok.

[SuburbanRhonda]

It's not just fur.

Angora is plucked from live angora rabbits - don't google it

[Fluffsnuts]

I do have a fur coat, it was my great grandmother's, my grandmother had it altered in the 60s and its mine now as my mum is vegan and didn't want it. I will probably never wear it though.

[WhatamessIgotinto]

No, never.

[niminypiminy]

It's quite common to come across fur in antique shops - tippets and capes especially. I've often been tempted. After all, the animal was dead many, many years ago; and buying second-hand real fur must be greener than wearing new fake fur made out of petrochemicals. As far as I can see there's not an ethical issue in second-hand fur at all - it's more a question that wearing fur is seen as bad taste. After all, there are more pressing ethical issues if you wear down, leather or angora.

[tinymeteor]

No, but mainly because it's a bit flash for my tastes. As an enthusiastic carnivore I don't really have an ethical objection in principle, but in practice I would want to know about farming practices and no doubt wouldn't like the answers.

[Dizzybintess]

I don't but was shocked to discover a brand called poppy London was single handedly trying to revive the uk fur trade

[AndShesGone]

I have a rabbit fur jacket made for my great grandmother in 1919. And an ermine stole that was hers too. I have worn them. I could never throw them out.

They were made from shot animals on her estate.

I would never purchase new fur and think current fur practices are of course, awful. Unfortunately the leather industry is pretty close too.

But new fur is worse I think, than leather.

In general I think it's a continuum. I'm not vegetarian so would (maybe) kill and eat a rabbit and wear its fur after.

The other end of that continuum is hideous practises in the Far East and with angora like described above.

There's also very cheap fur Pom Pom trim around, there's evidence some of it was cats from china

[Palomb]

I'd wear it if I had an heirloom or piece I could prove had been killed ethically. I eat meat and I love leather but everything I have read about the modern fur industry put me off wearing it.

[Floisme]

I was about to say no but I've just remembered I have a vintage Edwardian jacket that I haven't worn in years but that has a fur trim - presumably real. I wouldn't buy new - If I lived say, in Alaksa I might feel I could justify it but not in northern UK.

I do like leather though and it troubles me .

[poppym12]

No. Fur should only be on beautiful animals, not ugly humans. I don't wear leather either, or sit on it. I find the mere thought of fur repulsive.

[VeryPunny]

No real problem with it, although I don't see why "happy" fur doesn't exist in the same way that "happy" meat does.

I think if you eat meat you probably don't have a leg to stand on from an animal welfare point of view. I wear leather and fur - the fur I own is all family items from way back when. I am careful where I wear it but it doesn't occur to most people today that it might be real; few people have asked whether it's real.

[NotAMammy]

I agree with Palomb

Although I don't know that much about the process to make leather and assume that it's mostly a bi-product of the meat industry. In my (obviously very personal) opinion, the best process would be for the animal to live a good life on a high welfare farm, then every bit of it should be used. And where everyone involved gets paid a decent wage!

I have asked my Mum to keep an eye out in the secondhand shops for an old fur jacket or stole as I'd love one that didn't create any kind of demand for new fur farms.

[Floisme]

From what I've read, leather isn't normally a by product and the practices are pretty awful. I have to hold my hands up on this one - I'm even on a leather jacket thread at the moment.

[JulesJules]

No and I never would. Even antique stuff- anything that legitimises or creates a demand

[Fanofjapan]

I'm a veggie, although I wear leather, which I believe, or hope, is a by-product of the meat industry. If I'm wrong, then I will definitely stop wearing it. But to specifically slaughter a beautiful creature just so I can wear its fur for fashion, is absolutely disgusting. Years ago people used to wear fur to keep warm, and in extremely cold countries, still slaughter animals for that purpose. But just as a fashion statement, absolutely shameful. That said, if people want to wear vintage fur, that is up to them, but I still couldn't.

[RagingSquirrel]

I wouldn't wear it. I completely get the rationale behind true vintage pieces (dead for decades etc) and the example above of the estate animals. However, those pieces are in finite supply, and the widespread wearing of them could make the trend re-surge. It's a fashion that should die a complete death in my view.

[FuckThatToOneSide]

I don't wear fur and also stopped buying silk about a year ago when I heard how it is taken from the silk worms (barbaric). I own leather shoes and handbags and thought it was a byproduct of the meat industry, but actually that is probably bollocks isn't it?

This thread has really made me think; I'm looking for some new boots and might try veggie shoe shops.

[Maudlinmaud]

I bought a coat from a boutique which had a lovely (what I thought was fake fur) fur trim. When I had it dry cleaned I read on the label it was arctic fox. I was horrified and would certainly not have bought it if I'd known it was genuine. I now check everything carefully before purchasing and said coat went to oxfam. I thought it was ilegal to sell real fur.
I am really sorry if I have offended anyone with this post.

[herethereandeverywhere]

I really can't differentiate between killing it to eat and killing it to wear. Neither is necessary. I eat meat, including veal and fois gras, I wear leather and some fur. I have a couple of hats with fur pom poms and an Yves Salomon Army jacket. It's a parka with a real fur lining (rabbit with raccoon-dog trim). I absolutely love it. I've eaten loads of rabbit in my life, I must have eaten almost enough for my coat's lining by now. If eating it was a necessity to own the coat I'd have a go at the raccoon dog too....

Incidentally most hood trims are 'raccoon dog' which is neither a raccoon or a dog. Bred in China for their fur. Google them (though not fur trade if skinned animals upset you). Canada Goose coats have coyote trims.

I just can't get emotional about fur in the same way I don't get emotional about lamb before I eat some delicious chops.

Leave the endangered species alone but farmed or vermin is fine by me.

[Maudlinmaud]

*illegal

[Hopefully]

I don't wear fur at all, but I do wear leather, although have never satisfactorily got to the bottom of the 'meat-by-product' aspect of it. If I did and was unhappy I wouldn't buy any more. I am a meat eater but only very minimal local/organic meat.

Where I am slightly bewildered is down jackets. They are everywhere And don't seem to raise the same hatred. Another meat by product? Or cruelly farmed?

[Stormwhale]

I wouldn't buy new fur, but I would buy an antique. I didn't realise that leather wasn't just a by product either. I'm quite confused about that actually. Surely we don't need more leather than the beef industry could provide? Or is it that the quality wouldn't be good enough from your regular cow?

[Stormwhale]

I have seen more real fur products lately though. Not in the shops, but being sold second hand on fb. Designer clothes with real fur.