Furs and exotic skins in fashion have always been a very sensitive issue, that spark controversy. Fur flows into fashion trends and many a famous face is framed by a stole or mink jackets, whilst swinging an endangered, exotic skin handbag on the arm. There has recently been talk of animal pelt being named a ‘eco-friendly and green’ design aspect, though it questions the ideas of ethics and morals for fashion. Thousands of animals are mass slaughtered for clothing every year, and there are only a few laws guide lining some of these houses, as not all of them are governed by ecologically advancing governments.
PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is an international organisation that. The project is based in Virginia in the United States of America, and has opened international branches. In 1980, Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, animal activists, started this organisation to create an awareness to the cruelty going on in the world revolving around animals. The organisation has over two million followers, internationally.
Their motto is that “Animals are not for us to eat, wear, experiment on or use for entertainment”. They run a large “No Kill Movement” regarding lost and found animals in pounds or animal shelters, and encourage “adoption” rather than euthanasia. They promote an overall ‘animal-friendly’ lifestyle, including vegan and vegetarianism, non-leather wearing and definitely no killing for fashion. The main branch of PETA is the “The Cruelty-Free Lifestyle” they promote. The people of PETA are known for are their exaggerated protests, consumer boycotts and anti-cruelty campaigns.
“I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” was launched in the 1990’s and was a huge success. Many celebrities such as Natalie Imbroglio, Pam Anderson, Holly Madison, Khloe Kardashian and Eva Mendes pledge this lifestyle choice. Another big PETA Celebrity Campaign Movement was “Ink Not Mink”. Waka Flocka Flame, Duff and Susan McKagan, Tommy Lee and Dave Navvarro were some of the faces behind this campaign. Other famous campaigns over the last twenty years have been “Save The Seals”, “Here’s the Rest of Your Coat” and “Your Wouldn’t Wear Your Dog”. The names of the anti-fur campaigns are used for the maximum effect, are catchy and roll easily off the tongue. The posters have personalised slogans from the naked celebrity, and this makes the direct, personal contact with the viewer. The print adverts have made a big impact in the fur industry, because people look up to ‘stars’ and famous faces for advice on life and lifestyle choices.
Elizabeth Hurley shocked the PETA group and animal activist world when she appeared in an advertising spread of the world renowned American fur house, Blackglama. Gwyneth Paltrow, who is an apparent “green-Activist”, fell claim to a bad contract agreement and was photographed in a fur stole for a commercial of an unnamed Italian fashion house. Jennifer Lopez has recently released a new fashion line, Sweetface, that contains furs and pelts of exotic animals. As celebrities of the modern day are the trend setters, why don’t they make the move into the new age of faux furs?
There has been an outburst after Paris Hilton as flour bombed at New York Fashion Week by PETA representative protesters because she was wearing fur. The fashionistas, pro-fur designers and fur farms are leading investigations into how fur is perfectly environmentally friendly, as well as fully sustainable. It has been said by many, for years, that fur should be accepted into daily life and that it should no longer be seen as animal cruelty. Welfare laws have been introduced into constitutions all over the world.
The economy of many countries rely on the fur trade industry. Ice-bound countries, such as Greenland and the Northern parts of Canada and Russia depend on fur for warmth and protection from frostbite. This creates a difficult situation for organisations such as PETA and Greenpeace.
The argument of “Fur or Faux” has been controversial for decades. As harmful and inhuman as mass animal slaughter for fashion is, the production of Fur Alternative is extremely harmful to the environment, as it is biochemically created in factories. The fumes and emissions that are released into the air during the process of creating the fibres for the faux fur strands are harmful if inhaled by humans and animals.
Many people are misinformed as to wear the fabric materials come from. Down Goose feathers, that are used for bedding, are the quill-less feathers that lie closest to the birds skin. The retraction of these soft feathers is imposable while the bird is alive. The cocoon a silk worm produces that is spun into silk is the soft casing for the metamorphic stages of the worm. Without these pods, the worm cannot live. It takes 1580 silk worm casings to create one kilogram of useful fabric.
PETA encourages it’s followers to boycott all animal products, by-products and designers who are pro those things. Leather, being a ‘left over’ from the food industry, included. Unfortunately, some of the by-products include wools. The animals that are in this group of material are regular sheep and more exotic creatures like llamas and alpacas. Research has shown that that, if done correctly and at the correct times of the year, the animals do not suffer any traumatic stress for the actual shearing the fur off. The trauma comes from the shearers who have been recorded punching sheep that wriggle and whinny, in the side and have even gone so far as to hit the animals in the nose with the shears until they bleed. This too is unnecessary and cruel. If this process was regulated and correctly run, with the animals rights closely monitored, this would not be harmful to animals. Wool could replace most of the need for fur, especially where there is a need for warmth.
If the world was run by organisations such as PETA, no animal would go harmed unnecessarily. Though this is an unlikely haven that is only welcome to be in the minds of the animal lovers of the world. The two million vegetarian, animal lover followers of PETA are greatly outweighed by the remaining meat eating population of the Earth. Fur is a reoccurring fashion trend. If celebrities stopped wearing fur, fur farmers created an ethical way of life for the animals and designers used alternative fabric materials, the people of fashion would not have to be flour bombed or bomb-barded with campaigns to “Save the Seal” and “Ink not Mink”. It should be an everyday thought process in the minds of the world, politicians and all social movements.
I’d rather go naked than wear fur.
{ peace and love }
