Kristen Nuttall, founder of sustainable design consultancy Appso-Supro, says a lot of this demand is being driven by “idealizing wealth”, because fur is seen as an expensive, heritage material. It’s equally hard to separate the destigmatization of wearing fur from the rise of conservative politics, as The New York Times writes: “Perhaps no one loved a fur coat more than Ivana Trump.”
In addition to aesthetics, there is also a performance factor to consider. The biggest fur coat markets in the world are China and Russia — two places where it gets extremely cold. In 2024, they collectively accounted for 50% of all fur coat purchases worldwide. “Real fur is fluffy and warm, and even if it gets cold, because it’s animal hair, it doesn’t get frozen and stuck together,” says Nuttall. “Whereas 99% of faux fur is made from polyester, so if it gets wet, it freezes and doesn’t stop you from getting cold.”
That most faux fur is derived from plastic remains a sticking point for sustainable fashion consultants like Nuttall, who are concerned the alternative to fur is just swapping one set of problems (animal cruelty), for another (reliance on fossil fuels and the disposable fast fashion it creates). “We’re telling people, there’s an alternative, but is the alternative better? It’s great that we’re not killing an animal, but if we’re using more plastic, what is that doing to us?” she says.
While there are innovations across bio-based and recycled faux furs, they are still relatively nascent. Since 2019, Stella McCartney has been exploring bio-based faux fur options, including with startups Ecopel and Biofluff. In 2020, Loro Piana launched Cashfur, a cashmere fabricated to match the texture and appearance of shearling. This season, Chopova Lowena is selling faux fur jackets and bags made from Seaquel, an upcycled plastic yarn. Meanwhile, an increasing number of luxury brands with fur-free pledges — like Bottega Veneta and Givenchy — are turning to shearling.