Real or Faux

My aunt gave me her genuine blue fox fur coat as a gift when I turned 21. I just got it cleaned and revamped to keep it safe and lasting for more generations to come. It’s been on my mind lately, thinking about whether it’s acceptable to wear genuine fur today or if faux fur is a better option.

I’m not sure how to justify using an animal’s fur for our comfort, or why that’s right or allowed in today’s day and age. Besides my aunt’s fur pictured above, I realized I have a few other pieces with genuine fur on them, and I haven’t been mindful in thinking about how I’m wearing another living animal’s skin. Why is it that we can steal fur from them? I think there’s a lesson there to really think about every piece you buy/wear and what each garment means to you.

The Pandemic

I think now is the best time to think about animals and what they mean to us and the world. Why are we, as humans, superior? Thinking about if we treated humans, animals, and wildlife as all interconnected, we might not be in the middle of a pandemic or climate crisis.

If we stopped eating animals, we would have less chances of viruses transmitting between animals and humans, and if we left animals’ habitats alone, rather than clearing the land for our use, we wouldn’t have the issue of them invading our spaces.

What if we all lived and shared our resources accordingly rather than, as humans, control and claim all of them for our species? It’s really not working out, for any of us.

The Environment

I think that faux fur can be a great alternative to real fur… I have several, from Zara (of course) but I didn’t realize how damaging they were to the environment until about a year ago after doing some research on fast fashion. By purchasing these faux furs with different colored dyes and made from synthetic materials, we’re damaging the very environment that we as humans and animals need to survive.

So the dilemma is, is it better to buy a genuine fur coat or a faux fur coat? I would say that faux causes indirect harm, whereas genuine causes harm directly to animals. I don’t like to see either happen, but it’s definitely harder to think about directly harming another living thing.

A Fashion Legacy

Fortunately, with my aunt’s coat I feel like I got the best of both worlds here. The coat she gave me was given to her by my grandparents when she turned 18 years old, which was 43 years ago! I didn’t buy it myself, but I feel like it’s acceptable to wear because it’s vintage and a family keepsake.

I engraved her and my initials in the inside of the coat to create a legacy fashion piece that I hope to pass down to my daughter or granddaughter, if I have one someday, so that she can add her initials engraved under mine.

I think the answer to my original thought is that it’s neither good to buy faux nor genuine fur. Both are really harmful in different ways. If you have a family fur that’s been passed down, I do think it can be enjoyed, if that’s what you want, since it’s already been purchased and worn for years, the harm has already been done. Sustainable fashion is much better for the environment than fast fashion, which ultimately makes it better for all living things.

Conflicting Thoughts

But then again, I am conflicted… one might say it’s wrong to wear the genuine fur even in my case, because it sets a precedent that seems okay to purchase genuine furs. Or maybe it sends a message that we think we are superior than animals, which allows us to continue treating them in the harmful ways that we have.

I’m not sure how I feel about it, and I’ll have to give it more thought overtime. I just know that I love fashion, and I have this 43 year old coat that reminds me of my aunt and grandmother. It’s sitting there in my closet and when it’s cold I’d love to enjoy it’s warmth and style.

What do you think? If you know of an alternative to buying genuine or fur coats, I’d love to hear about it. I’m seeing a lot of popularity around buying used fashion from consignment stores and how it’s much better for the environment. Maybe buy a used, genuine fur? There also might be some sustainable, faux furs available for purchase! I am not sure what type of materials can be used for that, but I would love to learn all about the options.

Final thoughts: Does the same apply to genuine leather? I definitely own and like to buy genuine leather bags. When I see “calf leather” on the bag description I feel a bit disgusted. Is vegan leather an environmentally safe alternative?