What pops into your head when you hear the word, “fur”? A fuzzy rabbit or a trendy runway ensemble? How about the fact that when you rock that cute fur jacket, you’re actually wearing animal skins? If that makes your stomach feel a little queasy, you aren’t the only one!
Now, we know you may love your fur fashion; it’s chic and comfortable at the same time. But guess what? Other options that can make you feel glamorous and guilt free. Fake fur might be the solution to your animal-loving worries.
If you’re the type to uncontrollably sob at those Sarah McLachlan SPCA commericals, you probably have a soft spot for animals. No matter how beautiful an item is in the store window, you likely feel uncomfortable knowing a rabbit died for your handbag. Although you might want to take claims from PETA with a grain of (cynical) salt, you can’t ignore that 85 percent of furs for clothing come from animals living in fur factory farms.
According to animal advocacy group Born Free USA, “More than 50 million animals are violently killed for use in fashion every year.” And these animals aren’t killed peacefully; some victims are gassed and electrocuted while others have their necks broken or get their bodies stuck in painful traps.
Faux fur offers the same killer look with none of the animal harm. No more feeling guilty counting sheep to fall asleep! Exhale that sigh of relief and get some serious shuteye. (Maybe rest your head on a faux fur pillow?)
Another perk? If you’ve ever saved up for months just to buy that designer fur coat, you know the hefty price of these pieces. Kicking the animal products out of your closet might save you some money. Although other vegan products can take a chunk out of your wallet, faux fur is your budget’s new best friend. Bada bing, bada boom – ditching the animal fur might just score yourself a bargain.
Who What Wear managing editor Meghan Blalock shares her struggle of loving both animals and wearable fur. She decided that the fashion trend wasn’t worth its cost, both ethically and economically. Who What Wear offers a slideshow of 13 faux fur items “significantly more affordable than the real deal.”
The choice is simple enough, right? Not so fast. While fake fur is the obvious choice for PETA, turns out going faux may not be as eco-friendly as you would think. Although you’re saving precious animals from being skinned, faux fur may actually harm the environment.
Slate discusses the downside to choosing fake fur. The biggest turn off? Going faux means using materials that harm Mother Nature. “The knock against fake fur is that nylon, acrylic, and polyester are made from nonrenewable petroleum,” writer Nina Rastogi said. “And it takes [a lot of] energy to process that oil into synthetic fibers. […] The other major downside with fakes is that synthetic fibers take a really, really long time to break down – anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years, if estimates for plastic-bag degradation are anything to go by.”
This damage to the earth affects all parts of the ecosystem, including wildlife. You likely think that by avoiding real fur, you’re saving lives – but don’t be so sure. Synthetic fibers are hardly healthy for creatures living in contaminated environments. If last season’s faux fur jacket gets tossed into a landfill, the animals you intended to save may be at risk.
The dilemma is just as convoluted when you bring other eco-friendly options into the mix. Take vegan leather, for instance. Since the faux leather is man-made rather than designed by Mother Nature, you have plenty more colors and styles to choose from. Plus, like fur, it is generally more inexpensive than the real deal.
Yet vegan leather may not be so saintly after all – for your bank account or the environment. While you may score faux fur for cheap, vegan leather will probably cost you an arm and a leg. PETA’s anti-leather propaganda is increasing the attention to and popularity of vegan leather, making the demand higher than ever before.
Sadly, it gets worse. Although you may have saved a cow by purchasing a vegan leather purse, a bear may die instead. According to Eluxe Magazine, “Since plastic-based synthetics don’t fully biodegrade, they produce micro-particles that are ingested by animals and thus enter the food chain at all levels: even Arctic polar bears have been found to have dioxins in their bloodstream.” While we aren’t science experts, that’s some scary stuff.
So what’s the final call? The green decision isn’t so black or white. From filling landfills with fast fashion to polluting the air with factory fumes, all of our fashion calls affect the environment. When it comes to fur or faux, decide what fits your values and feels best next to your skin. After all, you’ll be the one wearing it!
