'Ethical' furs? Here is the horrible truth of the European fashion industry

Other than ethical fashion, other than animal welfare. A new dossier entitled "Nordic fur trade" has revealed that the conditions of animals in Northern Europe are not very different from those of animals raised in other parts of the world. The study unmasks SagaFurs labeling, which promises to certify the traceability and quality of fur. But the high standards boasted by the European fur industry are belied by the reality of farms

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Of course fashion ethics, of course well-being animal. A new dossier entitled "Nordic fur trade”Revealed that the conditions of animals in Northern Europe are not very different from those of animals raised in other parts of the world. The study unmasks labeling Saga Furs, which promises to certify the traceability and quality of the fur. But the high standards boasted by the European fur industry are belied by the reality of farms.

The report will be presented on October 15 by international coalitions Fur Free Alliance ed Eurogroup The Animals at the European Parliament in Brussels.

It is the Scandinavian society Saga furs to have ended up in the spotlight. This is the main network of breeders in Northern Europe, which has put together a strategy to present itself as a sort of ethical certification for the products marketed, making fur production in the Nordic countries appear respectful of animal welfare.

But the report reveals the opposite. Saga furs boasts the fact that its furs come from countries with regulations that protect animal welfare and in particular "from carefully monitored farms in the European Union or Norway".

Both official inspections and investigations carried out by animal welfare interest groups have uncovered the serious problems of animal welfare even in the countries where “Saga” furs are produced.

In the past, and still today in countries like Norway, the fur industry enjoys state aid. But also Saga Furs is based on modern intensive farming and mass killing of animals despite being advertised for the particular attention to the principles of corporate social responsibility. According to the report, fur farming and animal welfare problems are the same everywhere, in Finland as well as in Denmark and China.

"As regards the breeding methods and therefore the conditions in which the animals reared live, there is no concrete evidence about the various measures taken to improve housing conditions for animals, compared to any other fur farm ".

Not to mention that the Saga Group considers minks, foxes and raccoons as "domesticated animals and widely adapted to life on the farm". Predators such as minks and foxes are kept in intensive farms made up of long lines of cages of wire mesh.

“The animal welfare parameters that Saga Furs refers to are alone instruments of marketing aimed at improving the opinion of consumers and institutions, when in reality fur farms, even in Northern Europe, are criticized by animal welfare experts ", explained co-author and veterinary Siri Martinsen, director of the Norwegian NGO NOAH.

"One of the conclusions of our dossier is that the activity of the company Saga Furs can be considered as a mere marketing activity, which attempts to oppose the growing ethical awareness, in a Europe where citizens' concern for respect for animals is widespread ”, adds Simone Pavesi, Head of Lav Moda Etica.

Marketing tactics disguised as responsible business. Always assuming that this adjective can ever be associated with the breeding of animals destined to turn into furs.

Francesca Mancuso

Foto: Network for Animal Freedom/Norwegian Animal Protection Society

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