To not see the big deal with wearing fur

[Itsgonnabeacoldone]

If it's vintage then you aren't really supporting an industry or creating demand for new fur garments.

Some of the comments against Alexandra have been pretty vile. I have an old piano that has ivory, but it's second hand and surely it's better that it's used after being made than just thrown away?

You can get humanely produced angora. For example here:

www.orkneyangora.co.uk/

But 99.9% of angora won't be. Because gently brushing it off the bunny is highly time consuming.

If the angora is responsibly produced, the company selling itwill be making a massive deal about it.

If they aren't, it's safe to assume it isn't responsible angora and don't buy it.

Oh and their video clearly shows happy bunnies living a bunnying life.

Mink on a fur farm get to live in wire cages the size of a laptop their whole lives. Food is dumped on top of the cage like a cowpat for them to chew at. I'll never forget it.

Fur is absolutely disgusting

You do not NEED to buy or wear fur there are so many other options available there is no need to support such a vile trade, I suggest anyone who believes it is acceptable should research the fur trade and see the absolutely horrific conditions the poor animals are kept in and the way in which they are killed and treated - some are skinned alive - if you believe that is okay simply so you can wear a fur coat there is something seriously wrong

I have some Orkney angora wool, it’s lovely :)

The other I have is from an NZ farm. I’ve seen it produced and I’m happy with it. I wouldnt buy a cheap angora sweater any more than I’d buy battery eggs.

But it’s like meat - you can produce pork from stall and tether, basically battery farming pigs, and that’s grim. Or you can have free range quite happy pigs. That’s ok for me. Ditto chocolate - ethical vs grown bY slaves. And clothes - although supply chain transparency is getting better there in the uk for sure.

Wool, fur, eggs, meat, leather - all need to be from high quality standard producers. I’m fine with all of them - and I do try to look at supply chains and seek out better alternatives.

LadyDeadpool yes, I was aware of that youtube video ... as I mentioned, it's a reason I'd rather as few animals as possible are now killed for clothing and choose to wear vintage

It also means I can avoid pelts sourced from China TRIGGER WARNING: the following video has deeply unpleasant images

features.peta.org/ChineseFurFarms/

@LapinR0se

Sadly shearing sheep is often done under improper conditions making it traumatic for the animals, and it often results in injuries.

You’re thinking of merino sheep in Australia, where the cruelty involved should be a source of national shame. In the UK, however, the process is on a smaller scale and incomparable.

Sadly shearing sheep is often done under improper conditions making it traumatic for the animals, and it often results in injuries. no it isn't/doesn't. Not in the UK anyway.

Also, try living somewhere where it’s -35 and not wearing any wool/down/fur at all - you will be sweaty and cold all at once.

I live where it gets below -35C on a regular basis (Northern BC) and I do not wear any fur. Neither do the other 3 members of our family. We do wear wool, yes, and until now I hadn't really thought about the fact that the kids' coats we bought always used to be down-filled, but none of the coats that we've used for the last few winters have been and we've been absolutely fine - not cold and sweaty at all. Wearing fur in these climates is purely a preference/choice, absolutely not a necessity.

But you wear wool. Total synthetics would be miserable.

There's more choice than synthetics or animal cruelty though. Cotton is versatile and paired with synthetics can mitigate many of the aforementioned difficulties with manmade fibres

I cannot believe that there are posters on this thread, who think its ok for an animal to spend its life in a tiny wire cage, only to be brutally skinned alive for its fur....
There is such good faux fur available that there is no need for such a vile cruel trade...

It’s really interesting the synthetics vs animal/plant based materials. Which is better for our environment isn’t as easy as first seems. There was a brilliant thread recently about reducing plastic as it doesn’t biodegrade and ends up in the ocean as well as being made essentially from oil. I agree fur for decoration is pointless but wether an ethically farmed leather boot with a fur/wool liner is more or less environmentaly sound than a synthetic (plastics) leather one with a synthetic fur liner is not clear. Cotton should be a clear choice for the environment but it’s manifcutre can involve human slavery.... things are never as simple as they appear

I cannot believe that there are posters on this thread, who think its ok for an animal to spend its life in a tiny wire cage, only to be brutally skinned alive for its fur....

How about possum fur? They’re a pest. They’re destroying a unique ecosystem. They’re trapped and killed to protect that ecosystem. Might as well use the fur.

How about a fox shot by an arctic hunter? Or a seal shot by an arctic hunter? And eaten, and everything used?

How about reindeer pelts?

Cruel farming methods have no place in any world, whether that’s battery eggs or stall and tether pork or poor fur farms. But if eggs, meat, milk, leather and fur are obtained via good animal husbandry I don’t see any more issue with fur than with with beef.

How about possum fur? They’re a pest.

I can’t really see top fashion houses showcasing possum fur coats any time soon

No probably not :) although some heavy pressure from Gucci might see the little sods eradicated...

It’s odd maybe but where I am fur use is nothing like the ‘mafia wife dripping in diamonds and a 40k mink’ stuff.
It’s people wearing fur hats, fur gloves/Pram bags/vintage quite unfashionable fur coats for warmth. And it is warm - really really warm without holding moisture from breath that will freeze for example.

I don’t want to see unethical fur production any more than I want to buy battery eggs. I DO think humans can and should use animal products responsibly, with as high husbandry standards as possible. Obviously someone who uses no animal products would have a different stance. I try to minimise our plastic use for example - that to me is important. Using animal products I believe is sustainable, environment friendlyand can be done ethically

I see the 'fashion' is still in for fur trimmed hoods plus the unnecessary annoying bobble made of fur stuck on the top of a beanie. What is That? .this trim is clearly real. You see it being knocked out for just a fiver a hat on many Oxford street kiosk stalls. It doesn't add any warmth. Some of the more expensive coats have HUGE fur trims on the hoods. Looks fucking ridiculous 😂😂

For the people on this thread saying words along the lines of "as long as meat is free range and organic, that's ok" "as long as the animal has led a happy life, that's ok" - these animals all end up in the slaughter house.

I've seen many videos of UK and Halal slaughterhouses. I've seen the wide eyed fear in a trapped tethered cow who had its neck cut (no stun gun used) and I watched, crying, as the animals eyes rolled back in its head and it slumped dying to the ground and I've seen sheep gathered together, bleating in fear, slipping in the blood of the numerous previously killed sheep, while the slaughterman sharpens his knife above one he's put in a trap and cuts its neck. Some farms may be more friendly than others, but the end result is the same and it is not nice. And yes, you can probably tell I'm a vegan, and one who's likely to get flamed for what I've written.

I have a couple of vintage fur coats given to me over the years and I wear them and love them - yes I wouldn't dream of buying one today from a furrier but I live in England and we have a choice of other warm fabrics to see us through Winter.
Some countries do use fur for warmth - who are we to judge.

As a lapsed vegetarian, and former lefty vegan Doc Martin boot stamper in my youth, I'm too scared to Google for the answer to my question (once seen, some things can never be unseen).

How about rabbit fur? It's not widely available as a meat for human consumption but it features often in dog and cat food. Is rabbit fur a by-product of the meat industry like leather or sheepskin?

Incidentally, I read somewhere that veal is a big ingredient in UK pet food due to our squeamishness, hence it's lack of popularity as a meat for human consumption. Personally, I've never tried veal, I am one of the above mentioned 'squeamish' but, if rabbit fur is indeed a by-product, I would consider wearing it. Does anyone know the answer? There must be rabbit farms (warrens?) here in the UK for it to be such a common ingredient in pet food.

Rabbit fur can't be a by product of the meat as the fur needs to come for a rabbit older than is slaughtered for meat which I think is 12 weeks?
Most of it will come from china and I'm sure you can imagine the conditions with which they treat rabbits there.

Oh also fur that comes from China/East Asia regions is far more likely to be cat or dog than anything it claims to be.

I don't agree with fur at all. I'm also vegetarian and prefer not to support any industry involving animal slaughter

Some farms may be more friendly than others, but the end result is the same and it is not nice. And yes, you can probably tell I'm a vegan, and one who's likely to get flamed for what I've written

No reason why you should get flamed, Woobeedoo; personally I completely respect your choice just as I'd hope others would respect mine

I do sometimes wonder, though, whether some anti-fur folk share an attitude seen also in those who oppose bloodsports: not so much sympathy with the animal as dislike of the hunter. There can be a certain "rich bitch" assumption around both - often completely misguided - and I wonder if that makes a difference

I have a faux fur hood. It's massive n keeps the wind off my face. Does the job nicely. Also the bobble hats are just a different style to the wool bobble.

Is there any evidence from sources other than PETA that animals are skinned alive?

It defies sense (as well as morals) to do so, as it would be much harder than to skin a dead animal and surely the struggling would raise the risk of damage to the pelt.

I don't wear fur, but find PETA's extremism deeply worrying.