In light of top fashion house Chanel announcing the brand’s decision to stop using fur and other exotic animal skins in the production of their garments, many are sounding off on the use of fur in the fashion industry in general, bringing up many issues related to the use of animal hides in fashion. 

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The company follows the likes of Burberry and Gucci in cutting out the use of fur, something many customers think of as something to celebrate.

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“Such good news. The future of fashion is vegan!” read one comment from a Business of Fashion commenter, Paula Renee.

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“Kudos to Chanel,” read another comment from another reader, Craig Shapiro. “Time for other companies that still profit from animal suffering to get in line.”

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These kinds of comments are increasingly common, not just on fashion articles, but also in the greater community of fashion consumers. The ethics of animal welfare in fur production and the dangers posed to those who work with the hides of animals farmed for fur are also some of the biggest concerns among those who both consume and create fashion, as well as study it. 

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Those in the fashion industry know the use of fur is a sensitive subject to many, whether they work with fur or not. 

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“With the company I work for, we don’t use fur at all,” said Kylie Stone, a technical designer at New York & Company in New York City. “It’s a fast fashion company and our price point wouldn’t really allow it.”

Those who do utilize fur in their designs, however, are aware of questions surrounding sustainability in fur production and how it affects business.

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“It’s still a debate because of the pollution emitted from manufacturing faux fur and real fur,” said Rebecca Cho, a technical designer and product specialist at Ralph Lauren. “Some companies are looking into using recycled polyester, which reduces the carbon footprint.” 

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Cho sees most companies including new methods of production to adhere to higher ecological and ethical standards. While concerns abound about the ecological and ethical effects of fur production, Cho sees fur as perhaps more sustainable than faux fur garments.

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“It is extremely soft and warm and I like the look of it,” Cho said. “The one-of-a-kind colors, texture and fibers don’t fall out or get static. The use of fur doesn’t mean a company is evil or that it’s purely for fashion.”

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New production methods that minimize harm, however, are always the goal, Cho said. 

“I think all companies are looking into ways to decrease pollution during the manufacturing process,” Cho said.  

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Pollution, as well as hazardous exposure to chemicals, remain a concern among the scientific community as well. As one study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health shows, fur, leather and animal hide workers with membership in the Fur, Leather and Machine Workers Union in New York City who were pensioned between 1952 and 1977 were exposed to oxidative dyes and tanning chemicals. 

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This caused an increase in mortality rates for fur dressers by way of malignant neoplasms and lung cancer, as well as an increase in cardiovascular disease for service workers handling fur.  

European-born fur workers active in the profession at that time were found to be the biggest group to die from lung disease. Similarly, other foreign-born fur workers were most likely to die of colorectal cancer. 

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The animals themselves didn’t fare much better. One study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science tracked how the animals’ housing conditions affect aggression levels between animals. The results found the greater number of animals are housed in a cage, the more animals bite each other and the more damage occurs to animals’ pelts. 

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Animal welfare, among the many other facets of the sustainability of fur, is a growing part of the conversation, Cho said. 

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“There’s an ethical aspect,” Cho said. “Anti-fur supporters will argue it is cruel and unethical to use real fur and some people can get turned off by the fact that it’s real.”

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However, Cho said, the fur industry continues to be an important part of the fashion industry.

“I think the fur business will continue on,” she said. “Some properties of fur cannot be replaced the same way as faux, but I think a majority of fashion professionals are very aware about the ethical practices and sustainability.”