California’s ban on the sale and manufacture of new animal fur products went into effect on January 1, 2023, making the state the first to officially halt the fur trade within its borders.
The new law only applies to new fur garment sales. It has no effect on the sale of used fur products through nonprofit thrift stores, secondhand stores, or pawn shops, or on the sale of things made from other animal products such as leather or shearling. Furthermore, the law has no effect on fur ownership rights, and it is still lawful to wear fur garments in the state.
According to WWD, big department stores such as Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Neiman Marcus have either barred fur sales or shut down operations in their fur salons as a result of this new rule. Several luxury brands and conglomerates have vowed to embrace fur-free practices by the end of 2022, including Canada Goose, Kering, Saks Fifth Avenue, Zegna Group, Rudsak, Mytheresa, and Moose Knuckles.
According to the 2017 Economic Census, sales of fur clothing in the United States totaled more than $574 million USD. California accounted for the majority of that total, earning about $129 million USD in fur sales, followed by New York, which earned $115 million USD. California and New York accounted for 43% of all fur sales in the United States that year.
“We are grateful to California for taking a stand against the cruel fur industry by implementing this statewide ban on the production and sale of new fur products,” said Jenny Berg, California state director for the Humane Society of the United States, in a statement.
“The fact that around 100 million animals are still raised and killed in fur factory farms for nothing more than a fur coat, hat or other product is archaic, especially when humane, environmentally sustainable alternatives exist,” she added. “We applaud California for leading the fight against fur and sending a powerful message that animals should no longer suffer and die for fashion.”
The bill was introduced by state assemblywoman Laura Friedman and passed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2019, barely one year after Los Angeles outlawed the sale of fur items.
“The year 2023 marks a historic step forward for California with the implementation of a law that truly represents the values of our constituents,” said Friedman. “Californians do not want to see animals live and die in cruel ways for nothing more than fashion, and I’m so pleased that this law will help uphold our state’s animal welfare standards as well as potentially help drive innovation for more sustainable fashion alternatives.”
