Fur industry extremely harmful to the environment

The environmental impact of producing mink, fox and raccoon dog fur far exceeds that of other materials used in the fashion industry, including cotton and even polyester and acrylic, which are also used to make faux fur.

This is according to anew report by carbon experts at the consulting firm Foodsteps. The report shows that the fur industry's PR claim that fur is “the most environmentally friendly material there is” constitutes false greenwashing and is misleading to consumers and retailers.

According to the study, fur has the highest greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram compared to other materials, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The carbon footprint of one kilogram of mink fur is 31 times higher than that of cotton and 25 times higher than that of polyester. The three animal furs also perform worst of all materials examined in terms of water consumption: 104 times higher than acrylic, 91 times higher than polyester and five times higher than cotton. Fur accessories such as fur trim on jacket hoods and pompoms on hats and shoes also carry a higher environmental cost than their acrylic counterparts. The study estimates, for instance, that a raccoon dog fur pompom on a hat has a nearly 20 times higher carbon footprint than its acrylic counterpart.

Approximately 100 million animals are used worldwide each year for fur production, with around 10 million mink, foxes and raccoon dogs alone bred and killed on fur farms in Europe in 2021. The report shows that a Europe-wide ban on fur farming would save nearly 300’000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, corresponding to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 44’000 EU citizens. In addition, around 3’700 tonnes of water pollution and 11’800 tonnes of air emissions would be saved.Animals in fur farms also produce large quantities of environmentally harmful excrement. Their furs require enormous amounts of water, salt and a cocktail of chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde – listed as toxic carcinogens – to prevent them from decomposing as dead skin and hair would naturally do.

This new study reveals the truth and puts paid to the fur industry's claims about its environmental friendliness. Presenting fur as more sustainable than faux fur is a form of greenwashing, but consumers should not be deceived. Looking at the environmental impact, the fur industry is a major polluter that far exceeds the ecological footprint of materials such as cotton and acrylic. Mink fur, for example, has a carbon footprint that exceeds that of beef by 7 times and that of chicken by 34 times. Given that this industry threatens our environment and subjects animals to cruel conditions, it is imperative that the EU responds to the 1.5 million signatures of the strong European Citizens' Initiative for a fur-free Europe.

Dr. Joanna Swabe, Senior Director of Public Affairs at Humane Society International/Europe

Martin Häusling, agricultural policy spokesperson for the EFA/Greens in the European Parliament and member of the Environment Committee, received the study in advance and comments: “This report underlines that fur farming in Europe should be abolished. The avoidable animal suffering due to poor keeping conditions is compounded by clearly serious environmental impacts that have barely been discussed until now. This report should be taken note of — fur farming no longer has a place in Europe today.”

The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for two to eight percent of global CO2 emissions and is a major water polluter. Limiting the ecological footprint of the fashion industry is therefore of crucial importance for meeting international climate protection commitments. Environmentalists believe that this new report provides compelling evidence that the disproportionately large ecological footprint of the global fur trade should be eliminated, including through a ban on the import and sale of fur in the EU.

Quick facts from the report:

• The carbon footprint of 1 kg of mink fur (309.91 kg CO2-eq) is 31 times higher than that of cotton, 26 times higher than that of acrylic, and 25 times higher than that of polyester. Raccoon dog and fox fur also have a high CO2 footprint, approximately 23 times more harmful to the climate than cotton and 18 times more harmful to the climate than polyester.
• Mink fur causes 271 times higher air emissions than acrylic, 215 times higher than cotton, and 150 times higher than polyester. Fox and raccoon dog furs cause air emissions approximately 104 times higher than those of acrylic, 83 times higher than those of cotton, and 57 times higher than those of polyester.
• Almost 30’000 litres of water are required per kilogram of fur. The average water consumption of the three fur types is 104 times higher than that of acrylic, 91 times higher than that of polyester, and five times higher than that of cotton.
• The production of all three fur types has a devastating impact on water pollution; mink fur causes almost 400 times more water pollution per kilogram than polyester, and on average all three furs are 100 times more polluting to water than cotton and 75 times more than acrylic.

HSI assumes that with the increasing availability of innovative, next-generation bio-based materials, including faux fur made from plant-based raw materials, animal-cruelty-free materials will become ever more environmentally friendly. The Institute for Faux Fur in Paris has launched a roadmap for innovative approaches to producing faux fur called SMARTFUR, based on the principles of the circular economy. In September 2019, Stella McCartney, together with DuPont in collaboration with ECOPEL, launched KOBA® Fur Free Fur, the world's first fully recyclable faux fur made from plant-based raw materials and recycled polyester. Subsequently, founders Ashwariya Lahariya and Martin Stübler brought the product BioFluff to market, the world's first plant-based fur.

The report draws on data published by French luxury fashion conglomerate Kering as part of its environmental accounting to promote greater commitment to sustainability in the fashion industry. The report examines the impact of materials across the entire supply chain, including raw material production, processing, manufacturing, assembly and operations through to retail. Although this standard life cycle analysis of the fashion industry does not account for end-of-life disposal, HSI/Europe points out that all garments in the fashion industry can end up in landfill, with items containing animal fur being no exception.

Dr. Swabe adds: "All products have a carbon footprint to some degree, but the new HSI report demonstrates that fur production represents a far more severe environmental burden. Fur-trimmed jackets, bobble hats and other disposable fashion items are just as likely to end up in landfill as faux fur. The truth is that the intensive farming of millions of fur-bearing animals and the processing of their pelts with chemicals can never be described as natural or sustainable."

Quick facts on going fur-free:

• Most of the world's leading designers have adopted fur-free policies, including all six of Kering's fashion brands – Saint Laurent, Brioni, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta – as well as brands such as Valentino, Prada, Armani, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, Burberry and Chanel.
• The European Citizens' Initiative with over 1.5 million signatures demonstrates that EU citizens are strongly urging the European Commission to ban fur farming and prohibit the sale of fur products on the European market.
• Fur farming is already banned in many EU countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Lithuania, Poland and Romania are currently considering a ban on fur farming.
• In the United States, the state of California banned the sale of fur in 2019. In total, 13 cities in the US have banned fur sales, and Israel was the first country in the world to ban fur sales in 2021.
• Mink infected with COVID-19 were found in more than 480 mink farms in 12 countries, including Italy, Poland, Sweden and Denmark, and the World Health Organization has acknowledged the potential for zoonotic spread of the disease in fur farms. In October 2022, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) at a mink farm in Spain prompted influential virologists to describe this as a “warning signal” and call for the immediate cessation of the practice.