Fashion retailer Saks Fifth Avenue aims to go fur-free by closing all its fur salons by the end of fiscal 2021 and phasing out all fur products by the end of fiscal 2022. Through this initiative, the retailer joins other department stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom etc n shifting away from selling furs.

Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchandizing Officer, Saks said the retailer would phase out products made with fur from wild animals or from animals raised for their fur. The store plans to keep selling leather, shearling, goatskin, down, feathers and faux fur products. Numerous luxury fashion brands have gone fur-free in recent years, including Gucci, Chanel, Burberry and Prada. In 2019, Queen Elizabeth II's official dresser revealed that the British monarch switched to faux fur. Brand Canada Goose has decided to stop buying new fur from trappers by 2022, though it will keep using recycled fur.

California has banned sale of animal-fur products with a law that goes into effect in 2023. However, International Fur Federation has argued that such laws raise environmental concerns because faux furs are often made with plastics and get discarded in landfills. Last week, a federal judge ruled against the trade group.