Fashion Tips for a Wildlife-Friendly Holiday Season
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Animal-inspired clothing is the hot fashion trend this season and Born Free USA, a leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, applauds the runway and consumers for loving animals and expressing their fondness for wildlife by showing off wildlife imagery. However, many of the same designers who celebrate all things wild also use real fur in their fashion lines, like designers Jill Stuart, Marc Jacobs, and Givenchy.
According to Adam Roberts, Executive Vice President, Born Free USA , "While consumers may be attracted to the images, prints and patterns on their coats, boots and dresses, they need to be aware that many of those designers have yet to extend that compassion and respect to wildlife by eliminating real fur in their collections. Designers claim to love wildlife, boldly using it in their fabrics. But to turn around and still use actual animals -- brutally killed for their fur -- at all is still inexcusable. We need consumers to take a stand and respect all wildlife."
Fashion enthusiasts and wildlife lovers can do much more by making fashion choices that reduce fashion's impact on the environment and actually aid in protecting wild animals.
Born Free USA Tips for Wildlife Friendly Fashion choices:
The fur industry damages the environment, violently kills animals, and endangers wildlife. Manure run-off from fur farms pollutes streams and harmful chemicals including chromium and formaldehyde which are used in the processing and tanning of real fur garments. In addition, traps set to catch wild furbearing animals also catch "non-target" animals including threatened and endangered species, and family cats and dogs.
Look for organic cotton. Cotton is one of the world's most chemically-dependent crops and the pesticides used on cotton are classified as among the most toxic by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Try out "eco-fabrics" - fibers that have less of a negative environmental impact in the production process than a conventional alternative. Bamboo, soy, and hemp fibers are good choices because their production requires less herbicides and pesticides than non-organic cotton and they bio-degrade faster than petroleum-based fibers.
The raising of sheep also has significant impacts on the environment. Sheep often destroy wildlife habitat by overgrazing. In addition, ranchers kill thousands of wild animals every year in an attempt to protect sheep from native carnivores such as coyotes and wolves despite the availability of nonlethal ways to protect flocks.
Buying -- and therefore producing - less clothing reduces resources used and waste. Focus on quality over quantity by select clothing that is well made and will last longer, rather than disposable clothing that wears out quickly. A small reduction can make a big difference. Also, think about saving energy -- wash clothes less and air dry them when possible. Always use a biodegradable and cruelty-free (not tested on animals) laundry detergent. Visit www.leapingbunny.org for lists of cruelty-free companies.
Donating unwanted clothing to charities and purchasing clothes from consignment shops or thrift stores allows us to get the greatest amount of value out of our resources whether the garments are made of conventional cotton, polyester or nylon.
The exception to recycling fashion is fur. It nearly impossible for consumers to obtain assurance that fur used on a garment is indeed "vintage" or "recycled." Due to the vagueness of these terms, it is possible that fur from an animal killed less than one year ago could be considered "recycled," if it has previously debuted on an earlier fashion. Creating a secondary market for fur - no matter how old - helps to maintain the commercial viability of fur and other wildlife products, and thus helps perpetuate the cruel trade.
Help by only spending your fashion dollars at fur free retailers and designers. Never purchase clothing from designers and retailers who sell our use real fur. Show support to retailers and designers who have signed on to the international fur free retailer program and put their fur free commitment in writing, such Dalia MacPhee, Sherri Hill, Esprit, H&M, Top Shop, and American Apparel (U.S. retailers www.furfreeshopping.com and International retailers www.furfreeretailers.com )
See where fur really comes from at www.bornfreeusa.org/victimsofvanity.
Born Free USA is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic "pets," trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade.
Born Free USA brings to America the message of "compassionate conservation" -- the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son Will Travers, now CEO of both organizations.
Born Free's mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at: www.bornfreeusa.org ; twitter http://twitter.com/bornfreeusa ; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeUSA.
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
