Fur.

[BadlyDrawnSimpsonsCharacter]

"Inspired" by the culling of mink on fur farm in Denmark - AIBU to wonder why on earth, in this day and age, people are still purchasing fur?

There are enough videos and photos from fur farms that show how fur is acquired. I will not go into this as it is very, very disturbing.

If you are a fur wearer, can I ask why you choose to wear it, considering the torture the animal has no doubt endured to provide the fur?

For clarity I am not a PETA member/animal rights activist looking for an argument (although I do have strong views on animal cruelty, like the majority of people do).

I am genuinely interested in other people's views on this.

I bought a vintage, fur-lined coat four years ago when my thyroid went kaput and I could not tolerate the cold at all. I live in a place where it gets down to 20f regularly throughout winter. I donated it this year to a charity shop, as my thyroid is now back up and running, and along with it my internal thermostat.

So, I guess I bought the coat because I was absolutely desperate. But overall I do not agree with the fur industry at all.

I agree. It's disgusting and they look absolutely awful, why would you want to walk around with a dead animals carcass draped over you

I don't own a fur coat, and wouldn't buy one, I refused my DM's offer of inheriting hers, we gave them to charity. However, I am conflicted in that animal fur is a natural and environmentally friendly method of keeping you warm. I agree, the fur industry is abhorrent and cruel, but ultimately, if we could farm fur animals in an acceptable and humane way, it would be way better for the planet than continuing to rely on by products of the oil industry.

Is it any worse than eating meat?

I think it’s really simple. They think that the softness, warmth, look, feel and extravagance is just wonderful. Which it is. And then, because they decide that all of that is worth it for their pleasure and enjoyment, they stick their fingers in their ears and close their eyes and drift around in billows of luxurious fur while not giving a moment’s thought to animals having their fur ripped away from their flesh or the conditions that they may have lived in or the suffering that they might have experienced. In short, fur wearers are selfish vain cunts.

I like it. I don’t particularly like animals. And as a previous poster said, I’m vain, selfish and a cunt.

That aside, I’m not sure why fur receives so much more condemnation than leather, particularly when the practices of obtaining cheap leather are arguably more horrific than that of fur.

I suppose people see it in exactly the same way as the meat industry (which if you look into it, can contain similar animal cruelty similarities) - so they think it's OK.

I wouldn't wear it though.

Everything has a cost. Plastic has an environmental cost. Fast fashion has an environmental and very real human cost.

How many who wear clothing from Primark, Boohoo, ASOS or any number of mainstream brands are content to condemn fur wearers without considering the blood in their own hands?

@WitchesSpelleas

Is it any worse than eating meat?

I think it is. Although I don't eat meat. I feel we have many fabrics which offer adequate warmth to not need fur. But meat substitutes are still lacking for many people in terms of taste, price and environmental impact.

Fur only looks good on it's actual owner ie the animal itself - no woman ever looks good in fur

no woman ever looks good in fur

Men alright though?

I suspect that in countries that have a more land based economy, societies that are less mechanised, it is perfectly natural to wear the warmest part of an animal.

We don't get that cold here and I can't see what reason I would have telling Sami people, for example, that they should change their culture to suit my sensibilities.

Outside that fur is unnecessary and needs to remain unacceptable as a fashion accessory!

Depends what bothers you most about fur? The look? The cost? Animal cruelty?

I don’t have any fur and it’s just not my thing but why is it any worse than any other use of animals - eg for leather, meat or dairy, all of which I do consume?

I agree MadamBlobby.

no woman ever looks good in fur

I think that I look pretty good in mine. It was a second hand purchase and is rabbit fur: nothing more exotic. I'm confortable with that.

I have quite a few pieces of fur, some vintage and some new. I pay quite a lot for them and they are high quality.
Believe me, there is very little clothing on the mass market which has a good responsibility profile. Between human rights abuses in the supply chain and environmental footprint, fashion is the second-worst industry on the planet in terms of sustainability. Second only after oil.

I only wear faux fur

New real fur = no way
New fake fur = bad for the environment, made of acrylics/plastics

Vintage real or faux fur = maybe, cos I don’t think a decent item of clothing should be thrown away/wasted.

I wouldn't wear fur, but we have reindeer skins on the bed because we don't use the central heating. They're from a Sami herd.

I don't wear it, but I do eat meat.

Both industries are very problematic, and I don't understand people who choose to look down on one while supporting the other.

I think mink coats seem particularly "extravagant" as the mink is a pretty small animal so you must need to kill a good few to make a coat. Fur also comes from cuter animals generally than meat.
I was surprised to hear about the mink farms in Denmark as I thought the country was generally a bit more advanced than that, and I think in the U.K. fur is very much associated with clothes people wore in the 60s and 70s - wildly unfashionable to wear fur and I can't think I know anyone who has any of it in their wardrobe.

I wouldn’t buy fur. But I also wouldn’t buy faux fur, it’s just more non biodegradable tat filling up landfill.

And this is the difficulty. Which is worse in the very long term, real fur or faux fur? And similarly, real leather or plastic leather?

Maybe one leather jacket that lasts me 30 years is better than 15 plastic jackets that last me two years each then end up in landfill.

There’s a lot of contradictions when you think about it all!

I try to live environmentally responsibly and see the conflict in fur - I've liked fur farming and never worn fur but it provides a material that is long lasting, biodegradable and thermally very effective, which when comparing it to synthetic materials (especially with emerging concerns about microplastics) ticks all the right boxes. It's tricky, I think if it can be done humanely and for practical value rather than fashion, maybe it could be acceptable. I also wear a down jacket and leather shoes and see the hypocrisy in condemning fur.

It’s no different to meat, leather, dairy or down feathers. I don’t have any fur as it’s doesn’t interest me but I eat meat and wear leather. Unless you are a vegan, and have and use no animal products whatsoever I think it’s hypocritical to pick out fur for criticism. All animal products involve cruelty somewhere.