Together with the international Fur Free Alliance, of which the German Animal Welfare Federation is a member, the association is calling on the fashion label Woolrich to join its numerous competitors and declare its withdrawal from the fur trade. Woolrich operates stores and outlets throughout Europe and Asia. In addition to online and department store sales, it has branches in Germany in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Westerland on Sylt, among other locations.
"Despite all offers of dialogue from animal rights activists, Woolrich continues to engage in the cruel business of animal fur, even though large sections of society no longer want to support this form of animal cruelty and many major brands are pursuing new, animal-friendly approaches. Together with all our partners in the Fur Free Alliance, we call on the company to finally go fur-free," says Dr. Henriette Mackensen, specialist advisor and fur expert at the German Animal Welfare Federation.
For the company's fur-trimmed jackets, raccoon dogs and foxes, among other animals, are kept in tiny wire cages on fur farms. The wild animals spend their short lives there before being killed by electric shocks. Woolrich also uses fur from coyotes that are brutally trapped in the wild. Some of the animals suffer for days without food or water, some mutilate themselves to escape – only to be killed, drowned, or suffocated in the end. Traps used to catch wild animals often kill non-target animals as well, including endangered species and even pets. In addition, fur farms and tanneries pollute soil and water with waste and toxic chemicals.
“By continuing to support the fur industry, Woolrich is choosing animal cruelty and environmental destruction over compassion and progressive change,” criticizes Joh Vinding, chairman of the Fur Free Alliance. The Fur Free Alliance's campaign against Woolrich, which starts today, September 11, and runs until October 7, is probably one of the largest anti-fur campaigns ever: 50 animal welfare organizations in more than 30 countries are participating with public relations work and actions. All information can be found at www.furfreealliance.com.
A look at international developments shows that phasing out the fur trade is both possible and necessary: numerous fashion brands, from Gucci to Hugo Boss to Max Mara, have taken a clear stand against fur in recent years, partly due to pressure from the Fur Free Alliance. More than 1,650 brands worldwide are already part of the “Fur Free Retailer” program. Twenty-two European countries have banned fur farming. In Germany, there is currently no ban on fur farms, but the last farm closed in 2019. An EU-wide ban on fur farming and trade is currently under discussion.
