Opening:
Speaker: Ariel Rubin
The fur debate has been a major issue in the last few years, sparking vast amounts of controversy; though whether or not it’s considered good or bad depends upon one’s perspective. As the pro-fur group, we hope to showcase how using fur in fashion is actually one of the better sustainability choices. We will be looking at biodegradability, economics, and ethics to argue that the use of fur is viable and should be expanded.
Biodegradable: Fur alternatives are bad for the environment while the humane fur industry is sustainable. Having a well-regulated and humane fur industry is far better than the plastic fur industry, whose products are used quickly and then dumped in landfills or the ocean. Faux fur is typically composed of petroleum-based synthetics and plastics, which pollute waterways with micro plastics that end up in landfills for centuries. On the other hand, real fur also sheds, but it decomposes over time, returning to the earth without leaving behind synthetic microfibers. This makes real fur more environmentally conscious than its plastic alternative.
Some producers of faux fur say their products are “developed using recycled plastics”, and that’s great; however, it’s still plastic. Mark Oaten, CEO of the International Fur Federation, has even questioned how it’s possible for a chemical-based product like faux fur to be more sustainable than a natural-based product.
A study comparing natural and faux fur coats concluded that the life cycle of faux fur had:
300% greater risk of damaging the ecosystem
169% greater risk of adverse impact on resource consumption
129% greater risk of contributing to climate change
3% greater risk of damaging human health
Some producers are using the fur from roadkill to make garments as well. Pamela Paquin of Petite Mort Fur says, “Here is a resource that’s going to be there, whether or not we use them. We can turn our noses up at them, drive by, treat them with disgust, disdain or we can stop and treat them with respect, and use what’s there.” Using culled invasive species or animals killed on roadways provides a sustainable real fur option for designers and customers.
Economic: On a larger scale, proponents of fur argue that the fur industry plays a significant role in providing jobs and supporting local economies. Fur farming and processing contribute to employment in various regions globally, like Poland, Italy, Finland, Turkey, and China. jobs in the fur industry are especially important in areas where alternatives might be limited. The sale of fur products also generates revenue that supports livelihoods to foster economic growth globally.
On a smaller scale, using real fur also saves money on laundry, which makes it economically viable in the long-run. Real fur coats are rarely washed and not usually in the machine. Where faux fur is washed all the time, an item of real fur is washed once a year at low temperature. This can’t even compare to that of an everyday garment washed every week. They are clearly not the same.
Real fur is also a type of apparel made to last. The longevity of fur apparel is not tied to the industry alone. You’ll often find that much of the fur accessories in Dallas and San Antonio have been around for decades. This is because fur apparel is designed to last for quite a long time, provided that it receives proper care. When fur apparel does finally start to decay, it does so naturally, leaving behind very little waste. You can even remove the damaged parts of a fur coat to convert it into some other type of clothing. Compare this to faux fur accessories which, while almost as gorgeous as the real thing, are often cheaply made and can quickly fall apart. What’s more is faux fur cannot be disposed of nearly as easily.
One of the main reasons fur fashion has become such a staple over the centuries is because it’s incredibly useful! It simply feels as good to wear as it looks. People all across time have relied on fur apparel to keep them warm through the harsh winter months—which is a trait faux fur just can’t match.
Ethics: Animals raised for fur are treated humanely. “North America produces the finest quality farmed furs in the world. To achieve this, farmers must provide excellent nutrition and care for their animals,” reports Truth about Fur. There are always exceptions and rule breakers in every industry, but “national codes of practice and certification programs provide assurance that farmed fur bearing animals receive excellent care.
Animals like mink only travel long distances searching for food and, once food is found, they like to snuggle in their dens. Because the farmers provide mink with nutritious food all the time, the animals are able to stay cozy without having to hunt or compete with other animals for scarce food.
Foxes and mink are also protected from parasites and other diseases by wire mesh floors, through which feces can fall. In “natural” enclosures, the animals were too close to their waste, which spread disease. Even truck tires are disinfected before the vehicles enter the farmyard to protect the animals.
Last week, alpaca farmer Jackie Armiger came in to give us a talk on her alpaca farm, and how it’s a sustainable business. One of the points she made was how it was more humane to make things like coats, hats, gloves, and even shawls out of alpaca fur, as they are shaved every year anyways when the weather gets warm. Selling various garments, spun wool, and even raw fur, was a huge source of income for Armiger, allowing her to continue feeding all her alpaca’s with premium hay.
As the pro-fur group, we hoped that we were able to shed light on the multifaceted nature of using fur to make various products, emphasizing aspects like biodegradability, economics, and ethics. Overall, we argue that using real fur is actually a humane and sustainable choice to make.
Rebuttal:
Speaker: Sophia Westfall
Typically, when referring to sustainable fashion, we try to create environmentally safe and ethical alternatives to materials or processes used in the past, like you mentioned. Yet what if, what if, it is our alternative solutions that are actually compromising our environment?
Plastic was invented only 100 years ago. And within those 100 years it has littered our water, our land, even littered our air, beyond any measurable amount. Only 100 years ago. Yet clothes existed long before that, using natural, compostable materials, that were later replaced with cheaper, synthetic options. We don’t need plastic alternatives. We need to revert back to the materials used before the destructive plastic empire. So what did they use before plastic? Fur.
“Fur is biodegradable and has much less impact on landfills and oceans than plastic-based or synthetic textiles.” A direct quote from Kopenhagen Fur, a leading sustainable fur harvester in Europe. This is where you may ask, what makes them sustainable?
Alternative uses: Well, to begin, Kopenhagen Fur discovered that the by-products of fur production can actually be used to produce biodiesel and organic fertilizers, eliminating the need for harmful chemicals in other industries outside of just the fashion industry, like you fail to mention.
Reuse: Yet recyclability does not just mean biodegradability, like you point out. It's also the ability to reuse and recycle in an environmentally safe way, while utilizing these furs at their highest capacities.
For example, fur coats are estimated to last for 25 to 30 years, 30 times longer than any article of fast fashion or synthetic material is estimated to.
European Services/Meat Industry: You mention how fur is only benefiting the fashion industry. This is simply not true. And in addition to that long lifespan, multiple European fur companies, which lead the fur industry in the world, offer services to not only repair or compost their customers coats, but offer new stylization of it. Meaning, they will take a previously worn and loved coat, and use that material to create an entirely new outfit or design, whether for that same customer or a different one.
These same companies have also found a solution to the oftenly deemed unethical harvesting of the fur; the food industry. While veganism is a growing diet, the meat industry will never fully go away. At least any time soon. Now, the fur industry doesn’t need the meat and the meat industry doesn’t need the fur. By working together, these companies have been able to successfully harvest fur, using the remnants of animals that were already being processed for consumption around the world.
Non harmful fur: Additionally, you mention how animals are harmed in this process, and how they are subjected to inhumane treatment. Yet you fail to recognize all the animals that do not need to be harmed in the process of fur harvesting. Fur alternatives such as sheeps wool, goat fur, alpacas, llamas, camels, rabbits, and foxes can be harvested without disrupting the animal at all. Some of these animals actually produce fur at such a high rate that they need to be sheared regardless. Such as sheep.
Faux fur: While you plead a seemingly ethical case for faux fur production, faux fur creates nearly 7 times as much carbon emissions as real fur, not considering the fact that faux fur is entirely made of plastic fibers and is not biodegradable or durable, leading to a life in the landfill, unlike what you so claim.
Definition of Ethical: Last but not least, you mention the ethics of using real fur. People often forget that the word ethical, when referencing the fur industry, does not just refer to the harm of animals. Recyclability, durability, biodegradability, and sustainable harvesting are also included in that definition. If we are simply comparing the pros and cons between real, recyclable, compostable fur, and plastic, then I think we know the winner.”
Conclusion:
Speaker: Anna Rjahovski
Our generation (Z) has led the reigns for the sustainable fashion movement. Questions that were once merely passing thoughts on the what, where, and how we obtain our resources in fashion have turned into actions. Now, the debate between fur and faux fur comes down to one concept: what is more sustainable? The answer is simple: real fur.
Faux furs are made from polyester or polymeric fibers that contain acrylic, spun plastic, which could take about 1000 years to decompose upon arrival to the landfill; the ones we’ve seen across the world that look replicate colorful garbage mountains full of people forced to adapt to the conditions of poor fashion practices like faux fur. Disposing of faux fur contributes to the vicious plastic pollution in rural countries, as the microplastics leach into ecosystems creating health hazards for people, wildlife, and the environment. Amidst the waves of environmentally friendly clothing, faux fur can seem like an environmentally conscious alternative to real fur. The reality is that faux fur relies on plastic, a global problem. Not only is synthetic fabric less quality and less durable, containing toxic materials, but fur is also shed into microplastics, entering our waterways, soil, and bodies. Additionally, a plastic coat is derived from coal, petroleum, and limestone, contributing to industries founded on pollution.
Making real fur coats is an ethical practice that relies on natural resources through sustainable practices. Real fur is a natural and renewable resource that, when appropriately utilized, maintains ethical practices and uses beyond fashion. It is an exceptional resource that is highly durable and provides warmth, vital for harsh climates and long-term wear. Real fur is a luxurious product; it ages gracefully compared to its faux fur counterpart, which sheds microplastics and is meant to decompose in landfills. Supporting faux fur is supporting an industry reliant upon chemical treatments that are necessary to replicate the real fur appearance in faux, which poses health risks to workers producing these garments, the environment, and you.
Supporting real fur is supporting communities that rely upon fur farming as a traditional practice. While the rest of the world continues to replace natural resources with toxic materials, we often forget about the communities that haven’t caught up to the mass industrialization practices we have in the United States and other global powers. Leaving indigenous peoples who rely on fur as a sustainable resource for clothing, shelter, or other means for their livelihoods as another forgotten people in this debate. In areas that don’t have enormous industrial plants with thousands of employees working in questionable conditions with questionable pay, fur provides livelihoods for communities by offering employment and financial stability, which is crucial for these rural economies.
An indigenous online store “Proudly Indigenous Crafts” discusses the perception of fur used by the Northwest, it states “Indigenous people believe fur can be a sustainable, respectful, and even luxury material for clothing, accessories, and art. They feel it is critical to retain fur’s significance in Indigenous cultures and traditional economics…unfavorable perceptions of the fur business influence how economically feasible hunting and trapping can be. However, he noted that this prejudice arises from ignorance”. We owe it to these communities to recognize the value of real fur for their livelihoods. We need to respect their right to utilize natural resources in a respectful manner that honors their cultures and traditions. Likewise, real fur that is sourced responsibly through traditional methods, managed farms, or in wild populations provide a renewable alternative. We should continue to prioritize transparency and ethical practices rather than support a dangerous industry of faux fur as the fur industry continues to improve environmental footprints and welfare standards.
The verdict is clear: real fur is a beacon of sustainability amidst a sea of synthetic waste. So, let’s continue to promote a path towards a fashion industry that rewardstyle and sustainability.