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Fur is officially back in the spotlight. The controversial animal product has appeared in countless TikTok videos, on the catwalk, at events, and in magazines. However, fur’s surprise comeback is not quite as simple as some headlines would have you believe.
While traditional fur is undeniably in fashion, the production of new pelts is still falling, and interest in producing and purchasing sustainable alternatives is increasing.
Many fur-fans are advocating specifically for cruelty-free or pre-owned “found fur” options rather than new ones, and opinion polls continue to find that most people throughout the US, UK, and Europe believe farming animals for this non-essential luxury item is unacceptable. So, you might ask, why is wearing fur back in fashion?
Read more: Stella McCartney Unveils World-First Vegan Fashion Feathers
Why is wearing fur back in fashion?
In the last few months, publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, the Independent, the BBC, and Vogue have all highlighted the increased popularity of fur.
Reporters and commentators have pointed out that young people are the primary drivers of this trend, and the BBC linked fur-laden TikTok videos to the so-called “mob wives” aesthetic of 2024. (A style that became so popular with Generation Z that even Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola weighed in on his inspiration for Constanza “Connie” Corleone’s iconic look.)
As reported by the Guardian, views of TikToks about vintage coats have increased by 243 percent over the past year, and Google searches for “vintage fur coats” have gone up by 688 percent since January 2023. Meanwhile, celebrities including the Kardashians, Dua Lipa, and Rihanna have all been spotted wearing fur or faux fur.
Significantly, much of this new demand for fur seems to be specifically focused on pre-owned items. Larry Cowitt, one of the owners of the popular Madison Avenue Furs in New York City, told the Independent, his customers are “not caring as long as it is upcycled.”
Demand for vintage clothing has increased significantly in recent years due to a combination of the cost of living, changing aesthetics, the environmental impact of fast fashion, and the decreasing quality of modern mass-produced clothing; about 85 percent of all textiles currently go to landfill.
Fur-fans may be prioritizing second-hand over alternatives because of the separate environmental issues that come from faux fur, including the use of plastic, though studies indicate that synthetic options are still far better for the planet than buying new.
Read more: What Is Vegan Leather? The Best Alternatives For 2025
Farmed animal fur is still firmly out of favor
Despite the modern fur trend, the farming of animals to produce new fur remains extremely unpopular. In the UK, for example, nearly 80 percent of people would like to see a ban on imported animal derivatives with cruel production methods that are already banned nationwide, including fur. Less than 10 percent of people disagree with such a ban.
Since the late 1990s, people around the world have been increasingly aware of the ethical and environmental costs of large-scale fur production. The industry is effectively factory farming, and not to be conflated with subsistence and ceremonial trapping by Indigenous populations.
Approximately 100 million animals are farmed for fur each year, though due to wasted “imperfect” pelts, it’s likely that the actual number is much higher. The vast majority of animals in fur farms – which include mink, foxes, and rabbits – are kept in cramped conditions where they cannot play, socialize, be truly alone, or access their natural environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw fur farms incubate the virus due to the close quarters, unhygienic conditions, and high susceptibility of mink. Since then, the Netherlands has fast-tracked its planned closure of all mink fur farms to mitigate disease risk.
The fur industry also contributes approximately 10 percent of global carbon emissions and is a leading cause of waste and pollution, making it comparable to the leather industry as well as factory farming for food. In short, fur production continues to take a huge toll on animals, people, and the environment, despite being an optional luxury for the majority of buyers and a controversial symbol of opulence.
Read more: Fur Production Has Plummeted To Lowest Level In Years
As farmed fur continues to decrease, faux fur keeps growing
More than 30 countries have now voted to ban fur farming, prohibited the farming of certain species, or introduced stricter regulations, effectively blocking the industry. California has banned the sale of fur statewide, and 16 US cities have introduced their own bans.
According to Humane World, the number of animals confined and killed on fur farms around the world fell from 140 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2023, an 85 percent decline, while Statista estimates that production in 2023 actually fell to fewer than 15 million pelts.
In contrast, the number of fashion brands offering faux fur and plant-based alternatives to animal products has skyrocketed. Stella McCartney, which has been fur-free since its launch in 2001, has launched a number of high-profile vegan-friendly looks that feature faux fur, including a coat made from Savian, the first “plant-based, plastic-free fur alternative.”
Even found fur is a ‘symbol of human supremacy’
Earlier this month, Condé Nast – the owner of Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and GQ – announced it would no longer feature “new” fur in editorial content or advertisements. The decision followed Vogue editor and animal fur proponent Anna Wintour’s departure in June.
Despite a brief uptick in popularity with Generation Z, it appears that factory-farmed fur is still emphatically yesterday’s news, and its modern revival is based more on aesthetic style and texture rather than propping up the dying and outdated fur industry. However, despite the inarguable sustainability benefits of purchasing pre-owned, vegans and animal activists still draw the line at fur.
“Regardless of when the damage was done, vintage fur remains clothing made from the skin of a needlessly killed and caged animal,” Emma Håkansson, the founder of Collective Fashion Justice, told the BBC. “It is an ongoing symbol of human supremacy over other animals, and we should not accept that in the 21st Century when we have myriad other options without animal exploitation, wildlife killing, or factory farming.”
Read more: Vogue To Stop Featuring Fur In All Editorial Content And Advertising
