Fur or Faux? NBC News Uncovers Story

from MSNBC

My friends always react in surprise when I tell them that the supposedly “faux fur trim” on their jackets may be real. Now NBC /MSNBC has uncovered the truth of this matter. According to the story, they went undercover to stores like Century 21, Burlington Coat Factory, Loehmans and more and documented this. Some helpful hints:

1) If the ends of the fur are sharp to a point like a cat hair it’s real fur.

2) If you burn it and it smells like human hair burn (like when you lit a cigarette and accidentally caught the tip of your hair), it’s real fur.

3) If you reveal the base of the fur and it’s attached to something that looks like cow hide or suede, it’s real fur.

And finally, just to be on the safe side and how I see it is: If it’s made in China, it’s probably real fur. China breeds racoon dogs for cheap fur, and they have been documented to destroy cats and dogs for various use including fur. Some areas in Korea and Russia also, so I’ve heard.

To be safe, just stay away from fur! Faux or not.

Filed under: Fur, fashion, faux fur

All the Buzz at Piperlime: Faux Fur

Kudos to Piperlime, one of my favorite online fashion store — they are featuring a season of faux fur coats, vests, and jackets in fabulous styles and prices. I’m a little bit suspicious about jackets with “fur trim”, especially if made in China, and waiting to hear back from them on whether it’s, indeed, faux. As you may or may not know, China claims that their fur trim are faux but recent investigation revealed that the fur are actually made of dog and cat fur. Raccoon dogs are also a big one.

However most of the coats here use 100% acrylic, man made textile that mimic anything from cashmere to fur. Girls – if Piperlime promotes faux fur, why not go faux and be fabulous at the same time?

Check out Piperlime here.

Filed under: Fur, fashion, faux fur, piperlime

They’re Just Rabbits—not.

Sure, rabbits are rodents, and many find rodents repulsive. But many find bunnies to be furry little creatures that bring children joy, and we all grow up know bunnies are one of the cutest animals on earth.

And they feel love, sadness, and pain. Yes they do. Just watch this video of rabbits scream in the midst of horrible slaughter, if you can stomach it. It will break your heart. “…narrated by actor Gillian Anderson, shows rabbits kicking and screaming during slaughter. After the skin is ripped from the rabbits’ bodies, it is sold to designers such as Giorgio Armani—who uses rabbit fur in his new designs.”

Write to Armani and let him know you think fur is not necessary for fashion, at the address below:

Please also send polite comments to:
Giorgio Armani Corporation
114 Fifth Ave., 17th Fl.
New York, NY 10011
212-366-9720

Filed under: animal cruelty, Fur, Take Action, Bunnies, fashion, fur, giorgio armani, Rabbit

Fur Still Alive and Strong in NYC

I haven’t blogged for a while, mainly because of my busy professional schedule, and to be honest, to let the steam cool off from my China Cat Massacre post that is getting a lot of debate, both positive and negative.

Fashion Week is one of the biggest event in NEW YORK CITY, and say what you will about PETA, though I’m not a big fan of their tactics, someone has to stand up against FUR. Like the years before 2010, PETA is holding a public protest, this year themed “Animal Prints. Not Animal Skin.” Though I don’t think spilling red paint on people’s fur coats just to make the point is cool by any means, I do think that showing up to show support for anti-fur can help make a strong statement.

Over the years, I’ve noticed a lot of brand name designers like Stella McCartney and other retail chains like Payless shunning the use of fur in their lines, and it’s a growing trend – many of my friends stopped buying fur trimmed coats and are more conscientious about shopping. But in the September issue of VOGUE for which I eagerly awaited (mostly for their insightful articles – truly), I was disgusted with the amount of fur ads and trend reports within. Even designers like Donna Karan had some fur pieces.

Looks like I’m going to have to add more labels to my boycott list. You think I am happy about that? NO. I love fashion, particularly the new Gucci and Fendi handbags – but I’m making a choice not to be a patron until they stop perpetuating the cycle of cruelty.

THE EVENT:

image via PETA

What: Anti-fur protest during NYC’s Fashion Week
When: Tuesday, September 14, 11:45 a.m.
Where: Sidewalk outside Lincoln Center by the main steps on Columbus between 65th and 62nd avenues (See this map.)

RSVP by e-mailing my colleague Ashley at AshleyB@peta.org or 757-274-9675.

Filed under: animal cruelty, Fur, humane organizations, local issues, Take Action, fashion, Fashion Week, fur, NYC, peta, protests

Chinese Fur

A dog near death about to be bashed on the head by a bat.

If you know what they do to poor dogs and cats in China (and Korea) to get the fur onto the trims of your winter coat, you might rethink what to buy this year. Many people are already sickened by the fur industry, however, when you think about companion animals as these victims, your heart would just break. CauseCast is featuring a video on the this page showing how they kill these animals, and I could not watch pass the first dog or puppy being head-bashed into cement and hit on its head by a Chinese dog killer at this fur farm. Animal groups say that these poor animals sometimes are not completely dead and die slowly in so much pain, until they strip the fur off their back, often still alive.

Watch the video on this page, click on the right “latest videos” module – “PETA2: Chinese Fur” (sorry the site did not let me embed this video.

Filed under: animal cruelty, dogs and cats, international issues, local issues, animal cruelty, chinese dogs and cats, chinese fur farms, fashion