The value of imports for fur clothing, accessories and other items in the European Union has dropped more than 60 per cent over the past decade. So says animal welfare organisation Four Paws.

More than two billion animals end up in fashion supply chains every year. Many of them endure pain, fear and stress due to cruel mutilation practices and inadequate living conditions for the sake of clothing.

In a push to appeal to younger shoppers, increasingly sensitive to ethical and environmental issues, fashion labels have committed to banning animal fur. From 2011 to 2021, the trade value of imports in the EU slumped to $138.3 million from around $363.6 million. Fur also poses health risks, as evidenced by Covid outbreaks in mink farms that led to the mass culling of infected animals in 2020 in Denmark and the Netherlands. Brands are moving away from using wool from mulesed sheep.

By July 2023, 100 per cent of wool used by the retailer Target for clothing and bedding will be either from farms certified under the Responsible Wool Standard or equivalent standard, from farms fully traceable and verified as non-mulesed, or from recycled wool materials. However fur trim is still a huge part of the current fashion trend. French luxury giant LVMH still sells fur and is partnering with Imperial College London and Central Saint Martins to develop lab-grown fur fibers.