Freedom Correspondent: I Wear Fur

Yes, I wear real fur. No, I am not an animal killer.

I made a recent purchase that really seemed to bring out quite a few mixed views. The main theme seems to be, wearing fur is something I should be ashamed of in this day and age.

Before I start sounding like a victim- yes, I understand where animal rights fanatics are coming from. But the very same people seem to forget that I have a freedom of choice- and as long as my moral ground is morally sound to me and isn’t hurting anyone around, I should be able to live my life without fear of constant judgement.

I should not apologise for my ethical and fashion choices. And I won’t.

Many of you will know how much I love fur. As much as it’s a cultural thing for me, I think everyone can benefit from this natural, ethical and sustainable material. Just think of its warmth and the decades lasting nature. Doesn’t it already sound like a real deal to you?

Personally, I take environmental issues very seriously. A lot of people disgrace fur wearers, wearing fake fur instead. The problem here is that the young generation of consumers is simply not aware of how detrimental the production of fake fur really is.

Synthetic fur is made of oil. It is comprised of multiple materials that are non-biodegradable and are incapable of decomposing like their naturally sourced counterpart.

Think about it: Animal rights activists promote acrylic, which is essentially plastic. They are happy to name and shame people who wear sustainable clothing, but fail to understand that the fake-fur coat that they have just thrown away can’t be reused, treated or recycled. Yet, they also claim to support animal welfare. Sounds a little hypocritical to me.

Don’t we all know plastic sits in landfills with other heaps of garbage and will stay like that for thousands of years. How is that helping animals? In fact, it’s killing them.

Sure, a fake fur coat is cheaper and can be replaced more easily than a real fur coat. But over the dozens of fake fur coats you might go through in your lifetime, that single mink jacket I own, will once become vintage and my kids as well as my grandkids will be able to enjoy it as much as I do now. Fur is the choice that seems both environmentally friendly and ethical to me.

If I am entirely honest, it’s not just fur that I adore. I love wool, silk, and cashmere just as much. More so, I know that by choosing natural materials I am doing a favor to both myself and animals.

For example, being very well aware of the wool industry, I can reassure you that shearing sheep is essential for the animal’s welfare. Sheering is important for sheep as it keeps them cool and stops parasites from developing in the wool.

As a result, sheep stay healthy and we can enjoy a natural “high-performance” fabric.

So, please don’t tell me I am doing it wrong. Do your research before you go and support PETA or put plastic above natural materials.