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Talking Points About Fur Trim 

* In the past, the fur industry’s emphasis has been on full-length coats. With cost and conscience now influencing buying patterns fur trim is primed to take center stage as the primary focal point of the trade. Sales of traditional full-length fur coats have declined. As a result furriers have shifted toward an emphasis on fur trim to keep their businesses solvent. By disguising small amounts of fur through shearing, dying, and plucking, furriers are now able to market their cruel products to an unknowing audience. The latest figures from the Fur Information Council of America (FICA) reveals the fur trim market to be worth nearly $500 million annually.

* Most furriers have changed the focus of their advertising. In an attempt to keep their industry alive they now push fur trim on bikinis, blankets, hats, jeans, scarves, skirts, knitted sweaters, ponchos, purses, and vests.

* With the trim trade growing, the number of animals dying is also increasing. According to Sandy Parker Reports, a fur industry newsletter, the number of animal pelts used for trim will soon outnumber those used for all-fur garments in western European and U.S. markets. Demand for fur trim is currently so strong that some U.S. manufacturers, which typically produce only full-fur garments, are now moving into the trim business.

* The Fur Information Council of America (FICA) recently claimed that retail sales of fur rose 21% over the fall 2000-winter 2001 season to $1.69 billion. However, the income from fur storage, cleaning, and repair have traditionally been included in sales figures, and FICA only surveys select members of its organization for data. FICA no longer provides a breakdown of what percentage of revenue comes from services and what comes from the purchase of new fur products.

* The animals most commonly killed for fur trim are foxes. 90% percent of the foxes raised on fur farms are killed for the fur-trim market. Arctic or blue foxes are the primary type used, followed by the silver or red foxes. As of 2000, the total number of foxes killed on fur farms worldwide was 4.3 million.

* By actively marketing fur-trimmed items, the fur industry seeks to flood consumers with fur-buying options. Fur trim items are widely available and in many cases will not be labeled as fur. Fur industry publications report that furriers believe fur-trimmed garments will become more important than all-fur garments in terms of repeat business because such items need to be replaced in only a few years, while fur coats may last for 20 years or more. Furriers also believe that fur trim is what helped bring younger consumers to them.

Source: Fur Kills

Talking Points about Warmth

"Fur…is warmer than any synthetic product." (Fur Harvesters Auction Inc.)

If fur were warmer than any synthetic product, it is doubtful that arctic explorers would always appear in gortex, thinsulate, and a myriad of other synthetic fibers that keep people perfectly warm in temperatures as low as -100 degrees Celsius. There is no need, whatsoever, for any person to choose fur over a synthetic product for warmth. Moreover, the fur industry markets their product to wealthy people in urban centers, where warmth is generally not the primary issue in choosing outerwear. The fact is, fur is not marketed for warmth, but rather for "luxury" and "glamour". And the reality is, there is nothing "luxurious" or "glamorous" about a skin that has been ripped off of the back of an animal who did not want to die. 
Source: Global Action Network FAQ sheet