to disown my favourite clothing shop because...

[Wheresmypopcorn]

they sell items of fur? Have moved to a cold country and I see loads of people wearing real fur (mostly just the collar of a hooded jacket). I am surprised at how prevalent it is, in fact a lot of the brands here that make really warm winter coats use fur. (not usually endangered fur but racoon or coyote). Am I right in assuming that all fur killed for the fur trade is inhumanely treated? DH asked me if they use animals that die from natural causes but I had no idea. How does the mums net jury weigh in about fur?

I honestly thought they just shaved animals and left them cold like when people shear the wool off sheep

I assume they do not use animals who die of natural causes as they need the pelts to be impeccable. AIBU as I do wear leather shoes, it's just that fur just seems like another level somehow?

If things are still the same as they were two years ago, then they don't use animals that have died of natural causes. The only animals used are those who live in cages. Animals who have lived normal lives don't have the perfect fur that is required.

We debated this so watched some horrible videos, and went on a "tour" to form our own opinions. It was horrific.

It is vile, ugly and unnecessary industry:

www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/fur.aspx

Oh - they will buy adult cats who have lived normally. They clean themselves so much that the fur is normally good enough.

Yuck.

I would wear sheepskin.

But not baby seals.

Or protected species.

Not sure about rabbits....?

I am a hypocrite, I guess. But I dream of fur and secretly hanker after a soft rabbit fur coat...

I had no idea that Lady Gaga wore fur too.
www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2187992/Lady-Gaga-steps-Bulgaria-wearing-large-fur-coat-confirms-real-Twitter.html
Yes, I read dailymail

[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2187992/Lady-Gaga-steps-Bulgaria-wearing-large-fur-coat-confirms-real-Twitter.html]

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2187992/Lady-Gaga-steps-Bulgaria-wearing-large-fur-coat-confirms-real-Twitter.html

my understanding is that furriers use animals bred for their fur - does not necessarily mean bad treatment though...

i don't wear fur but plenty in Canada do. It's not such an issue here.

North Face is one of the only brands for minus temperatures I can find that use faux fur as opposed to real.

I don't boycott stores that sell items trimmed with/made of fur, but I don't buy those items. Would hope that those items not selling would send a message to the company to not have them made (though realize that full boycott would probably be more effective). I haven't found it difficult to find extreme-cold coats with no fur or faux fur trim but maybe it's easier in the US.

Re: the shoes/leather issue, I have a lot of trouble with that. I try to do a couple of things: I get boots that are faux suede/faux leather/rubber, which is not that easy but can be done without total sacrifice of style, and I buy leather-made shoes secondhand, which makes me feel better about where the money is going (perhaps not quite rationally, but I think, well, my buying secondhand leather shoes does not affect how many leather shoes are made, b/c shoe companies do not take resale value into account when they look at how many pairs of leather shoes they sell, and people do not buy leather shoes vs. non-leather with the idea that leather resells better -- it's not a car.)

There are plenty of man-made materials that can withstand arctic temperatures and no longer any need for anyone to wear someone elses skin.

I have no objection to wearing leather so long as it is ethically sourced using the hide of animals that have been humanely killed and their meat is in the food chain.

So far, I have to ban Moncler, Mackage, Canadian Goose

To clarify - I mean ban myself from

If I'll eat it, I'll wear it. Rabbit I'm happy to wear, not so much cat or mink...