Tips for a Fur-Free Friday Shopping Trip |
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November 21, 2007
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Rabbits are commonly killed for fur trim. |
Want to brave the masses and mayhem of Black Friday but avoid the cruelty of animal fur?
The fur experts at The HSUS have put together some tips for painless post-Thanksgiving shopping—for you and fur-bearing animals.
- Make a beeline for any of the more than 75 retailers and designers who are fur-free. If your favorite company isn't listed, write to them and ask them to go fur-free.
- For all the stores you plan to visit (whether they're on the fur-free list or not), avoid any confusion as to whether a garment is made with real or faux fur.
A loophole in the federal labeling law lets one in seven jackets with real fur trim go unlabeled. Just last holiday season an HSUS investigation found jackets with domestic dog and raccoon dog fur either unlabeled or falsely advertised or labeled.
How to Double-Check Faux Fur Trim before You Buy
Check the base of the fur. Push apart the fur and look at the material at the base of the hairs.
» The surest sign of real fur is leather or skin (usually white or tan, but possibly the color of the fur if it has been dyed).
» The surest sign of faux is the threadwork or crosshatching of fabric.
Examine the tips of the hairs.
» Both animal fur and fake fur come in many different colors and lengths. However, if animal fur has not been sheared or cut to a uniform length, you may be able to examine the tips of the longest hairs and see that they taper into a fine point—like a cat's whisker.
» Good lighting and a magnifying glass are helpful, as is holding the hairs up against a white surface.
Don't rely on the "push pin test."
» The thought behind the push pin test is that pushing a pin or sewing needle through the leather backing of fur is harder than pushing it through the fabric backing of fake fur.
» This test is unreliable because some fake fur is wrapped around tough fabric in the hood, making pushing a pin through very difficult.
If You Already Own the Coat
The Burn Test
» Animal hair smells like human hair when burned; fake fur made from acrylic or polyester—the two most commonly used synthetics—does not. This method may be useful in identifying the fur on a garment already purchased. Carefully remove just a few hairs and then, holding them with tweezers above a dish or other non-flammable surface, ignite them with a small flame. A cigarette lighter works well. Make sure to burn them away from the original garment. Never conduct the burn test on hairs still attached to the jacket. This method should only be conducted by adults.
Be a Voice for Animals—Even at the Mall
If you see any garments while shopping that you think might be falsely advertised or labeled, or that contain real fur unlabeled (as allowed under the legal loophole), bring it to the attention of the manager.
It is important that companies know how important full and truthful information is to their customers, and that avoiding the cruelty of animal fur is on the top of your shopping list. Happy shopping!
Updated Jan. 18, 2008.
Related Links
Fur-Free Designers and Retailers
The Cruel Reality of Fur Production
Dog and Cat Victims of the Fur Trade
Fur-Free Action Guide—What You Can Do
