Gucci pledges to go fur free in 2018

[luckybunny]

I don't care if it's a pr stunt as long as less bunnies are killed. Now if only Fendi will follow suit.

 

[l.ch.]

I not sure about this. I am glad the conversation continues regarding animal products in fashion but I think there is a degree of shallowness or even hypocrisy in the conversation.
The reality is that animal products can be wonderful fashion materials which are not easily faked.
I love animals but I am realistic enough to know that humans will not stop eating meat or other animal foods, nor will they refrain from desiring leather fashion products.
I also am not sure I want to live in a world where the only choice is plastic. How polluting is the production of plastic materials for fake fur and fake leather? And how will the beauty and longevity of these ‘faux’ manufactured materials compare? In the same way consumers seek genuine gemstones rather than manufactured or imitation ones, many people will prefer the original article when it comes to animal materials.
I wonder if Gucci was targeted by animal rights activists due to the popularity of the kangaroo fur mules - kangaroos are delightful creatures but extremely clever breeders even in the wild and so must sadly sometimes be shot by professional kangaroo shooters as pests. How did Gucci come by the kangaroo fur for the mules? It may very well be argued that Gucci sources the kangaroo fur as an environmentally sustainable resource. Of course I know there are many different types of animals used for materials in the fashion world. If fashion consumers are drawing up lists of acceptable and non acceptable animal products, this is a conversation where each material and animal should be considered on its merits.
If we agree that animal products improve our lives, and I think there is an argument for that, it is vital that we increase the cruelty- free aspect in our use of animal products. There is so much that needs to be improved in terms of cruelty- free animal industries. Abattoir technology could be so much kinder, the technology is there but of course everything costs $$$ which consumers ( and before them, the investors in the animal-processing industries) are not willing to pay in the shorter term. There are some serious challenges, such as the transport of animals to abattoirs.
( Free range chicken eggs are an example where consumer attitudes have changed over time. )
There are other elements to animal welfare too - allowing wildlife their necessary living spaces / food sources etc is a massive issue all over the world. Connection not separation is the way forward for humans and animals in my view.

THIS! Why can’t we be more cruelty-free? I also understand the use of animal products to some extent. What I can’t justify is the cruelty involved.

 

[papertiger]

Please don't let this thread turn into a general discussion about fur or animal cruelty. We have members who wear fur and those that don't touch any animal products at all. Many buy leather bags at length but also love animals too.

This thread is only about Gucci and their decision to go 'fur free' which in the scheme of things does not mean any fewer animals are killed/used overall, as most animals for leather goods are furry to begin with.

PTX

 

[ladysarah]

Delighted to hear the news, finally moving into the 21st c! Whatever their motivation I am very pleased and may be TPF will stop removing my posts when I write anything about fur my posts vanish, and I get angry messages from the management. Surely guys, we are allowed to express our opinion about not buying fur...

...and BTW love gucci RTW - their collection are getting better and better... those dragon embelished coats are killing me.

 

[papertiger]

Delighted to hear the news, finally moving into the 21st c! Whatever their motivation I am very pleased and may be TPF will stop removing my posts when I write anything about fur my posts vanish, and I get angry messages from the management. Surely guys, we are allowed to express our opinion about not buying fur...

...and BTW love gucci RTW - their collection are getting better and better... those dragon embelished coats are killing me.

So long as it stays OT it's fine

 

[Emily Schinella]

My philosophy is if I don't eat it, then I don't wear it. I own leather bags and eat meat, however, I don't wear fur or exotics because I don't eat the animals that they're made from. However, I believe everyone is entitled to live and believe the way they want so I don't care if others choose to as that's their prerogative.

 

[immigratty]

I know my answer will be very unpopular, but I love furs [coats...very few fur bags I like], leather, python, croco, and lizard bags. and to echo many, no furs, but they will continue with the other materials soooooo......

 

[ladysarah]

I actually think that fur will be viewed with horror by future generations. I genuinely think that, more and more of us think that way. Like a hundred years ago everyone dreamed of a fur coat, and viewed it as a luxury and the height of fashion, now - not so much.

 

[snibor]

I actually think fur fashion has come back a bit. Yes in the 1950s it was viewed as luxury many women wanted. Then there was a period of time I want to say late 1980s it was out (or less in) fashion. I know a furrier who went out of business late 1980s early 1990s. I see in the last several years more fur coming back in style. You see more on the runways. More incorporated in items like shoes and bags in addition to coats. We’ve seen fur coats in bright colors which we never used to see. You also see a heck of a lot of faux fur now too. My local fur store seems way more busy than in years past.

 

[Gimmethebag]

I think this is excellent news. Leather is different because the animals aren't being skinned alive and it comes from animals people eat like cows, goats, and sheep. Animals are tortured for fur, and I don't think there's anything elegant about that. I especially hate the fur trimmed footwear that was popular on Instagram this year. You know fur shoes would just get trashed and some cute small animal had to die for it.

I'm sure Gucci will show beautiful designs in the near future.

(Also, I'm an older millennial.)

 

[finemess]

I think this is excellent news. Leather is different because the animals aren't being skinned alive and it comes from animals people eat like cows, goats, and sheep. Animals are tortured for fur, and I don't think there's anything elegant about that. I especially hate the fur trimmed footwear that was popular on Instagram this year. You know fur shoes would just get trashed and some cute small animal had to die for it.

I'm sure Gucci will show beautiful designs in the near future.

(Also, I'm an older millennial.)

Animals are not skinned alive for fur; that is a vicious lie perpetrated by PETA to further their political agenda. Hint: PETA and other animal rights groups are extremists and extremists do not hesitate to say or do anything to further their cause. The videos show online of animals skinned alive are of questionable sourcing. It is absurd to watch those videos and then apply that to the industry as a whole. Animals will die whether or not they're turned into fur. They die every day in the wild, on highways, etc. The leading cause of death for beavers is that the trees they're chewing fall on them and crush them. The Disney-ish idea that, if it weren't for humans, animals would live these pristine and peaceful lives is rubbish. They die cruel deaths in the wild from starvation, disease and being eaten alive by other animals. The Fur industry is well regulated in the western world and uses practices endorsed by verterinarian societies. Animals raised on fur ranches actually live longer than those in the wild and, contrary to what PETA tells you, they are very well cared for.

 

[doni]

I also think this is opportunistic and cynical marketing.

I totally respect animal rights activists and I think this is an important debate on which I, like many people, have conflicting views and feelings.

But, quite aside from this debate, it is obvious to me that this is a very easy decision for Gucci to make while they continue to focus on leather. As others have said, from an ethical perspective there is little to differentiate fur and leather, particularly as production of the later is delinked from meat production. If anything, as the leather production in the world sky rockets there are more and more horror stories about how that leather is procured, even though I trust premium brands to exercise stricter controls on this.

So just a patronizing marketing ploy which personally, puts me off. I guess they will instead go on producing fake furs that have a huge environmental impact too...