Retailers Still Selling New Fur Products In California Despite Ban, Undercover Investigation Reveals
The state’s historic ban on fur products came into effect last year, but undercover video has exposed some retailers knowingly flouting the rules.
A shop employee stands in front of real fur products. Credit: uncredited, obtained by HSI
An undercover investigation has revealed that some retailers in California are still selling new fur products despite being against the law.
The state’s historic fur ban passed back in 2019 and outlawed the manufacture or sale of any new animal fur product either in-store or online. Retailers were given more than three years to phase out the products, with the full ban coming into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
However, new undercover footage has exposed a handful of retailers who are openly skirting the law by selling new fur products. An investigator from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) visited over 25 retailers throughout California to evaluate the law’s impact and whether it was being followed.
The majority were found to be upholding the law, but a “handful of others” openly displayed and offered illegal fur for sale. Several of these offenders explained to the investigator that they understood new fur is prohibited under the law but would continue to sell it anyway.
Real fur coats for sale in California. Credit: uncredited, obtained by HSI
Some retailers even appear to be misleading consumers by mislabelling real fur as faux fur in order to make a sale.
At the Beverly Hills location of fashion brand Philipp Plein, an employee initially said that the fur lining of a jacket was not real fur and noted California’s prohibition on fur sales. However, the same employee later told a HSUS investigator that the fur was, in fact, real raccoon fur. In explaining why the store was selling new fur despite being aware of the law, the store employee stated, “when you have real big fur, you cannot sell but when it’s a small piece like this, they do.”
Following the investigation, HSUS says it will continue to work with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure that retailers take the law seriously and help instill confidence among consumers. Under the law, penalties for violating the fur ban range from $500 - 1,000 per violation, with each item sold treated as a separate violation.
Fur Sales in the United States
Despite the investigation’s findings finding a “handful” of lawbreakers, California’s fur ban has been overwhelmingly positive in its impact. California previously had the highest fur sales in the country, making up nearly a quarter of all U.S. fur sales.
Modern attitudes and public perception of the fur industry however has led to a rapid decline in demand for real fur. A 2018 poll of residents found that 71 percent of Californians supported the ban on fur sales, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, and West Hollywood are among those which have also passed similar bans on the sale of fur.
Credit: We Animals / Jo-Anne McArthur
This shift in consumer habits due to animal welfare and environmental concerns has resulted in a 50 percent decline in U.S. fur production from 2022 and 2023, and a decline of almost 90 percent during the period 2014 to 2023, according to industry data obtained by HSUS.
Many of fashion’s biggest names have responded by introducing fur-free policies, including Canada Goose, Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
“The fur trade is declining around the globe as corporate and public policy aligns with the values of the public”, explains PJ Smith, director of fashion policy at HSUS. “Investigations at fur farms have shown there is simply no way to confine wild animals in small cages for their entire lives and expect anything but cruelty. Innovative alternatives to fur that are animal-free and plastic-free are available, making animal fur obsolete. The end of the fur trade is in sight, and for the animals’ sake, that day can’t come soon enough.”
Earlier this month, new footage recorded at fur farms in China - the world’s biggest producer of fur - highlighted the grim reality of confining thousands of animals in small metal cages. It also raised global health concerns, with fur farms in China described as having a significant risk of zoonotic diseases that could have the potential to transmit to humans.
Take Action Now
An estimated 95 percent of all fur comes from intensive farms, which causes animal suffering and amplifies the possibility of viruses jumping and mutating. In light of these risks, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced H.R.3783, the Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act (Mink VIRUS Act), which will end the practice of fur farming in the United States and will provide support for mink fur farmers to transition out of the industry to ensure they do not turn to illegal mink fur farming for money.
Species Unite is putting our support behind this important piece of legislation which has the potential to save the lives of millions of minks and help curb the spread of pandemics. Please sign our petition now to urge congress to pass the Mink VIRUS Act.
To learn more about the future of fur, listen to this Species Unite podcast episode with Kym Canter, the founder and creative director at House of Fluff, a New York City-based, animal free, material innovation studio and outerwear brand.
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