FAUX REAL? IS FAUX FUR BETTER THAN THE REAL THING?

Is there a lesser evil?

PHOTOs via google TEXT LOGAN VERLAQUE

With the rising emphasis on eco-conscious and sustainable alternatives in the fashion industry over recent years, faux fur and other fur alternatives have spiked in popularity. Stella McCartney is known as a pioneer in going ‘faux,’ and now Gucci, Versace, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo have followed suit, stating they will no longer use fur in their collections. Yoox Net-A-Porter group has even stopped selling fur on their websites. While PETA may be rejoicing, the question of whether fur alternatives are actually the “better” choice is now front and center.

Promoting real fur inevitably raises moral and animal welfare questions. Even if the animals are reared as humanely as possible, they are still being killed for their skins and the process is not cruelty-free. Therefore, on a personal level, the question of whether or not you choose to wear fur or its faux alternative may have a straightforward answer.

From an environmental standpoint, while fur is a natural product and therefore biodegradable, there are inherent environmental risks in fur manufacturing. These include water pollution from manure run-off, CO2 emissions from livestock, and toxic chemicals used to dress, dye and preserve hides. Some animals have worse environmental impact than others. Mink fur is markedly worse for the environment as the animals require animal-based feed, as opposed to a vegetarian diet of a rabbit, for example. 563 kilos of animal-based feed are required to produce 1 kg of fur, and to harvest 1 kg of fur requires more than 11 minks, making their fur footprint relatively large.

“Fake fur is one thing, but its problems are symptomatic of an entire industry that is rooted in overconsumption and aims to sell us something new every week.”

— mary creagh

On the other hand, faux furs are usually made from synthetic polymeric fibers such as acrylic, modacrylic, and polyester. These fibers are essentially forms of plastic, made from chemicals obtained from coal, air, water, petroleum and limestone. And because faux fur sheds like really fur the tiny plastic fibers fall off and into the earth. Plastic is not biodegradable, and can take anywhere from 500 years to more than 1,000 years to biodegrade.

"Petroleum-based faux fur products are the complete antithesis of the concept of responsible environmental conservation," says Keith Kaplan, director of communications at the Fur Information Council of America.

It can be helpful to consider, how long will this coat last? Are you buying a fur coat that will be passed down for generations, or buying a faux fur that will fall apart at the end of the season? Are you buying second hand fur or a fast-fashion faux alternative? A pro fur study put forth research in this regard. Assuming a real fur coat is kept for 30 years compared to a faux fur coat that’s kept for six, it showed that a faux fur coat poses 4x more risk of damage to the ecosystem, 2.3x more risk of adding to climate change, and 2.7x more risk of impacting resource consumption.

There is no concrete answer. Both sides have competing arguments and evidence. At this point, it really becomes a question of morals and causes. If you are steadfastly against buying and wearing fur, then do not buy or wear fur. However, it is not clear that the best alternative is therefore to buy and wear faux fur, as the environmental damages are still up in the air.

The bigger picture is the sustainability of the entire fashion industry, not just that of (faux) fur. Mary Creagh, a member of the British Parliament, who is currently leading a parliamentary inquiry into sustainability in the fashion industry, remarks “fake fur is one thing, but its problems are symptomatic of an entire industry that is rooted in overconsumption and aims to sell us something new every week.” Hopefully, the growing emphasis on sustainable alternatives to fur will inspire creativity in big name fashion houses to find environmentally friendly substitutes. In the meantime, we say, shop vintage and secondhand when possible, invest in pieces that will last a lifetime or longer, and make considered purchases.