Breaking news: Iconic fashion brand Coach drops fur

By on October 23, 2018 with 7 Comments

Luxury brand Coach has become the latest fashion brand to adopt a 100 percent fur-free policy, with the company’s chief executive Joshua Schulman declaring, “We’re doing it because we believe it’s the right thing to do.”

The Humane Society of the United States has been working with Coach toward this outcome for many years, educating its executives and shareholders about the animal cruelty associated with fur, and filing several shareholder resolutions with Coach over its use of fur in its bags and clothing lines. We couldn’t be more pleased that Coach has listened to our concerns, and we’re grateful.

The year 2018 has already seen an avalanche of progress toward a fur-free future:

  • In January, Columbia Sportswear adopted a fur-free policy and the Council of Fashion Designers of America welcomed one of our staff members to present to its members, including many of the most influential designers in the industry, about the fur-free movement.
  • In March, San Francisco banned the sale of fur within city limits. Donna Karan/DKNY, Versace, Furla, Bottega Veneta and Nicholas K all adopted fur-free policies. And Linden Staub became the first modeling agency to ban the use of fur in any photoshoots featuring its models.
  • In April, InStyle magazine became the first major fashion publication to ban fur within its pages, prohibiting any advertisements or photos that include fur.
  • In June, Gucci banned angora and FarFetch.com posted its fur-free policy.
  • In August, after meeting with the HSUS, Givenchy’s creative director announced she is a fur-free designer.
  • In September, Los Angeles banned the sale of fur in city limits and London Fashion Week announced it was fur-free. Burberry, Diane von Furstenberg/DVF, and TJX (owner of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra Trading Post and HomeGoods) all announced fur-free policies.

The announcement today from a brand as iconic as Coach is the latest indication that fur is just not fashionable. The fur trade kills more than 100 million animals each year, with animals used for fur either trapped in the wild, where they remain in cruel leghold traps for days without food or water, or raised in cramped cages for their entire lives and then killed by electrocution or gassing. Consumers worldwide are saying no to all of that and fashion leaders are following.

Kudos to my colleagues at the HSUS and Humane Society International who work tirelessly every day on this important campaign, to other animal protection groups tackling this issue, to grassroots activists everywhere who are applying pressure on fashion brands, and to consumers who are choosing alternatives to fur. We are winning, and the future we’re helping to create is decidedly fur-free.

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Wildlife/Marine Mammals

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7 Comments

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  1. Cara Carlson-Roberts says:

    Thank you Coach, for at long last you recognize the depravity in wearing fur. I have an old (but never been used), Coach cloth fabric purse, that I can now enjoy using. I obtained this purse because I have always loved Coach products. However, soon after the purchase I decided not to carry the purse as I boycotted ALL your products. So, once again, thank you for going, “NO FUR.”

  2. Tina Chalmers says:

    Excellent news, keep up the good work and i’ll keep donating!

  3. Ty Savoy says:

    They’re falling like dominoes now. The invisible hand of the market… combined with the ethical, informed consumer.

  4. Saophia says:

    Very awesome!

  5. Angela says:

    Wonderful news!!

    Next to fall are trophy hunters and fox hunters!

  6. Jean Traubner` says:

    I am blown away. These great companies are stepping up

  7. Sally Elms says:

    Right on Coach!! And “Right on” to all of the companies who have made the outstanding decision to STOP using fur, at last! I’ve always thought that wearing a dead animal’s fur around is a strange and barbaric thing to do!

    Thanks once again to the HSUS for all of the never-ending work that you do on behalf of animals everywhere!

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