Another noteworthy change in the e-tailer’s efforts toward sustainability
Despite fur being ever-present, if not making a comeback in fashion, ethically and sustainably sourced and produced fashion is coming in hot. Breaking the mold from its stigma of granola-hippie, and spanning across the entire industry, such cruelty-free clothing is now embraced by luxury brands. Helping to strengthen this new norm is luxury e-tailer Yoox Net-A-Porter Group. The company recently adopted a fur ban policy that aligns with the company’s desire for an “industry-wide catalyst for change.” As of June 6, none of its online stores (which include Net-a-Porter, Mr. Porter, Yoox, and The Outnet) will stock items made from animal fur. YNAP, who has partnered with the international Fur Free Retailer Program, which will see the company work with environmental and animal rights groups like the Humane Society International, joins the no-fur trend of many fashion brands preferring to put compassion in their fashion instead of inhumane practices.
The no-fur trend has been adopted by some of the biggest brands in the world, including Armani, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, and Steve Madden.
Designer and animal-rights activist Stella McCartney introduced her brand’s alternative to real animal fur in 2015. Labelled ‘Fur Free Fur,’ the designer’s signature long-haired coats are made entirely from modacrylic, a synthetic fiber that closely resembles real fur both in appearance and texture. Stella McCartney’s spring 2017 runway collection served as a statement against the use of animal products in fashion, featuring shirts with messages like “No fur” and “No leather.”
When Giorgio Armani announced the brand’s decision to go fur-free last year, he pointed out that, because technological advancements offer viable alternatives to real fur, killing animals for the sake of fashion is unnecessary.
Of Net-A-Porter jumping on the no-fur bandwagon, Matteo James Moroni, head of sustainability at Yoox Net-a-Porter Group, said: “YNAP is on an important journey towards managing environmental impact responsibly. This journey began with the launch of our first sustainability initiative … in 2009. … We aim to act as a catalyst for change in the industry, sharing knowledge, innovating and leading by example.”
Each year, more than 1 billion rabbits and 50 million other animals — including foxes, seals, mink, and dogs — are raised on fur farms or trapped in the wild and killed through gruesome processes.
The many designers who refuse to work with animal fur, including Net-a-Porter, give hope that the number of fashion labels taking a stand for animal rights, along with consumers becoming increasingly aware of the effects fashion has on the environment, continues to rise until inhumane practices are void.