Dolce & Gabbana is going fur-free as per their latest announcement on January 31. Future collections from this Italian luxury fashion house will no longer be witnessing the animal-derived material but will showcase vegan and plant-based alternatives.
Moncler, another luxury fashion brand that is known for its top-quality ski wear committed to ditching fur earlier this year making Dolce & Gabbana the second fashion house to take lead.
Dolce & Gabbana is working towards a more sustainable future that can’t contemplate the use of animal fur
Fedele Usai, Group Communication and Marketing Officer at Dolce & Gabbana
Organizations like In Defense of Animals (IDA) have been pleading with fashion brands to go fur-free for a long time. Dolce & Gabbana intends to continue to collaborate with fur-making artisans to create vegan fur alternatives using recycled and recyclable materials that are sustainable for the planet.
Italy Bans Fur Farming Due To COVID-19 Concerns
The move follows Italy’s recent announcement to ban fur farming nationwide. The decision was voted by the Senate last year into approving an amendment in the budget law thus banning farming of foxes, mink, chinchillas, and raccoon dogs in the country.
The decision is highly supported by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International.
“Italy’s vote recognizes that allowing the mass breeding of wild animals for frivolous fur fashion represents a risk to both animals and people that can’t be justified by the limited economic benefits it offers to a small minority of people involved in this cruel industry,” said Martina Pluda, the Humane Society International’s director for Italy, when the law was approved.
With the recent fur ban, Italy joins countries like Hungary, France, and the Netherlands that have also passed fur bans to some extent in the last few years. Some major concerns that supported the legislation towards this ban are COVID-19 mutations on mink farms and animal rights issues.
The Fashion Industry Moves Fur-ward
In the last few years, many luxury brands have ditched fur and exotic animal skin to switch to kinder alternatives starting with Gucci back in 2017.
Among the brands that have followed the lead are German e-commerce retailer Mytheresa, French conglomerate Kering, US retailer Neiman Marcus, Canada Goose, YSL, Brioni, and Oscar de la Renta.
The amount of companies going fur-free in the last year is staggering
PJ Smith, Fashion Policy Director at Humane Society
“Companies are starting to see that they can do well by doing good. They might ban fur first and take additional steps in the future, phasing out exotic skins, angora and down, while investing in next-generation plant-based materials like mycelium”, adds Smith.
Globally, more than 1,500 companies have chosen to implement fur-free policies. Major retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and H&M have also taken fur off their racks.
Now, Italy is quickly becoming a fur-free fashion hub with many other luxurious fashion brands like Armani, Prada, Versace, Valentino, and Gucci also making the ethical choice.
