In 2010, the fur fashion industry has taken some hard hits, and we at Born Free USA have no problem piling on.
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Most recently, as our Senior Program Associate Barry Kent MacKay explained from Canada, the European ban on seal products was upheld, defeating the fur industry’s attempt to overturn the ban.
Halfway around the world, at the urging of its agricultural minister, Israel moved to ban the import and export of all fur for all nonreligious use. This bill was shelved at least temporarily, but a recent poll suggests that 86 percent of Israelis opposed the killing of animals for their fur and 79 percent would support the bill to ban the trade in fur in Israel. The fur industry fears that passage of this bill would have a domino effect around the world.
There’s more. The North American Fur Auction (NAFA) was forced to cancel its infamous winter fur auction due to a poor fur market. And the Canadian seal fur industry was forced to flee to fashion shows in Beijing, where organized protests are forbidden. In fact, China is the one country where the fur industry is booming; two-thirds of the global production of fur is consumed in China.
However, even in China the message of fur’s cruelty is leaking through. Recent reports say that Chinese consumers are increasingly questioning the ethics of fur.
The article specifically credits the annual Design Against Fur — a project of the International Fur Free Alliance (FFA), of which Born Free USA is a part — with raising public awareness. The competition invites graphic design students from around the world to design a creative, compelling campaign poster or animation that delivers the compassionate message that the wearing of fur is cruel and unnecessary.
Check out the 2010 Chinese winning posters, the other winning posters from around the world and information about entering the 2011 competition.
Using creativity to stimulate compassion and inspire change means Born Free USA will continue to sponsor the USA’s premier annual fur-free fashion competition fffashion! and fur-free fashion show fffashion L.A.
We will continue to work on undermining the fur industry through the legislative and regulatory process and by educating lawmakers about the cruel fur industry through our groundbreaking report Cruelty Uncaged – Fur Farming in North America.
The fur industry shows no mercy and no remorse for the pain and suffering it inflicts on millions of animals each year. Born Free USA and our international partners in the FFA and around the world have no problem kicking this industry until it’s down and out — and we couldn’t do it without compassionate (and feisty) supporters such as you.
Please check the links, spread the word, reject cruelty and work together with Born Free USA to keep the momentum going and run the fur industry out of town for good!
Blogging off,
Will