I am an avid fan of real fur, and have quite a bit of it. But I have found that there are not that many people (amongst those that I know), who share my liking of it.
The majority of faux fans that I have talked to present only one reason against real fur: the fact that a cute little foxy was killed somewhere far away to produce a hat for me to wear. But in reality, faux fur helps cause much more deaths in the long run than the real fur industry. Pollution is a major issue as of now, and plastic fur adds to that already gigantic factor killing the Earth. Being of non-biodegradable material, the fake fur has to be thrown out into landfills along with other disgusting trash. Think about it that way, the faux fur on your coat is trash... it will be trash, lying next to a shattered ceramic garden gnome and a baby’s diaper that has been rotting in the landfill for dozens of years...
So why wear something that will end up lying around and leaking toxic chemicals into the ground when you can buy something that is not nearly half as bad?
The qualities of real fur by far surpass those of fake fur. Real fur is easy to look after, and lasts a long time. And, speaking of practicality, real fur is much warmer than its false counterpart. Haters may say that compromises must be made for the better good. But what is the better good? More pollution and trash to fill up our landfills? Why not just buy real fur, enjoy its comfortable softness that doesn't prickle you with plastic fibers, and then turn it in to be recycled?
The majority of faux fans that I have talked to present only one reason against real fur: the fact that a cute little foxy was killed somewhere far away to produce a hat for me to wear. But in reality, faux fur helps cause much more deaths in the long run than the real fur industry. Pollution is a major issue as of now, and plastic fur adds to that already gigantic factor killing the Earth. Being of non-biodegradable material, the fake fur has to be thrown out into landfills along with other disgusting trash. Think about it that way, the faux fur on your coat is trash... it will be trash, lying next to a shattered ceramic garden gnome and a baby’s diaper that has been rotting in the landfill for dozens of years...
So why wear something that will end up lying around and leaking toxic chemicals into the ground when you can buy something that is not nearly half as bad?
The qualities of real fur by far surpass those of fake fur. Real fur is easy to look after, and lasts a long time. And, speaking of practicality, real fur is much warmer than its false counterpart. Haters may say that compromises must be made for the better good. But what is the better good? More pollution and trash to fill up our landfills? Why not just buy real fur, enjoy its comfortable softness that doesn't prickle you with plastic fibers, and then turn it in to be recycled?
Interesting perspective! I agree that plastic is not a panacea in any situation. It has its uses, but we manufacture and throw away way too much of it, particularly the non-recyclable kind. At the same time, fur must have its own environmental problems. Fur trim from wild animals likely creates less of a negative environmental impact. But the vast majority of fur sold today probably comes from fur farms that create lots of waste and use up resources (not to mention the question of how the animals are treated). The same is true of factory farms, of course, but on a much, much larger scale.
ReplyDeleteIf we want to be responsible environmentally and still enjoy the things we love (whether it be meat or fur), one thing we can do is seek out information on producers that create the goods we seek in the most ethical and environmentally sound way possible (even if it costs a bit more). Another is to practice moderation. Perhaps it is better to have one really high quality fur-trimmed item and keep it in good shape your whole life (or for generations) than to have a couple dozen expendable faux fur items. (Though animal rights advocates would likely disagree.)
This is an engaging post. It might be more persuasive if you did a bit of research and linked your opinions to those of reputable experts.