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In this day and age, most people know and agree that real fur is a horrifically cruel industry.
It’s responsible for taking the lives of more than 50 million animals every year in ways such as drowning, poisoning, gassing or electrocuting – and their short and miserable lives on factory farms aren’t much better than their deaths.
The mink, chinchillas, foxes, and other animals bred for their fur spend their days in tiny, often filthy cages and sometimes suffer from neglect, starvation and lack of much-needed veterinary care.
Real fur is not eco-friendly
In a time where information is readily available, conscious consumers are increasingly turning away from the cruel fur trade – but the fur industry is desperately trying to win them back by banking on the argument of fur being ‘eco-friendly’.
This is far from the truth: in order to keep fur from rotting, like any dead skin would, furriers treat it with chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde, which are highly toxic.
But while faux fur, which is made from petroleum-derived materials, can be a questionable choice if you consider yourself a friend of the planet, there is a new development in faux fur that will put an end to ‘green fur’ claims.
Eco faux fur
Now manufacturer Ecopel is developing a faux fur material made from recycled plastic bottles.
Through a collection system internalized at the company’s mills in Asia, the company can now give used plastic bottles new life – rather than them being dumped in landfill or oceans.
The regenerated fiber developed from the process is introduced into a new cycle of circular-economy production where it will become…an eco-friendly faux fur coat.
Development
The material is still in the early stages of development and Ecopel is still working on increasing the range of textures and colours that will be on offer.
“As fur is a more complex fiber to create, the technique is quite challenging,” says Ecopel’s Communications Manager Arnaud Brunois. “But we believe this new fur will be a very exciting new addition to the fashion industry, in line with what new generations want.”
And with this innovation as well as the company’s coming investments in bio-based fur, it’s safe to say that Ecopel, and its progressive views on animal-free fashion, is going to be a key player in the new era of faux.
