New York introduces fur labelling order

Friday, August 17, 2007

Last winter, representatives of Respect for Animals’ colleagues in the United States - Humane Society of the United States - found jackets in major stores under popular brand names labelled as fake fur when it was in fact raccoon dog and even domestic dog fur. 

There is federal law covering the whole of the USA - the Fur Products Labeling Act - which requires garments to be labelled only if the fur on the garment is valued at $150 or more. Therefore, many of not most garments slip through this loophole.

Respect for Animals is campaigning for a similar law to that introduced in New York state for the United Kingdom.  Currently there is no requirement for fur to be labelled as real and whilst there is much less fur on sale in the UK, often real fur can be mistaken for fake by unsuspecting customers.  Price is no guideline, Respect for Animals found a jacket for sale in a major High Street chain that had a koyote fur collar with a price tag of just £99.  That particular retailer has since introduced an anti-fur policy so consumers may shop with confidence in their stores world-wide. 

Back