California Becomes First State To Completely Ban Sale Of New Fur Products

Residents living in California may have seen stores selling off luxury fur coats for a discount towards the end of last year. That wasn’t just a year-end treat, as companies across the state tried to sell off as much merchandise as possible before a fur ban took effect.

On January 1, 2023, the Golden State became the country’s first to completely prohibit the sale of fur within its borders. The bill had initially been signed in 2019, but only came to pass at the start of this year. 

According to WWD, major retailers such as Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus have either entirely restricted the sale of the material and shut down partnering fur salons, or are planning to close them in the near future. 

Luxury fashion houses have also shied away from fur in recent years, with brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Burberry, Moncler, and more disavowing themselves of using animal-based material. 

The ban in California does more than just set a precedent for the rest of the nation. As per the 2017 Economic Census, US$129 million of the total US$547 million fur garments sold in the US occurred in the state, with another US$115 million in New York. 

These two states alone made up 43% of all fur sales in the country that year. As such, with such a seminal ban taking place on the west coast, could New York State follow in its footsteps any time soon? 

The Human Society of the United States notes that the law only bans the sale of new products, meaning second-hand fur sold at nonprofit thrift stores, secondhand shops, or pawn shops is still allowed. 

“We are grateful to California for taking a stand against the cruel fur industry by implementing this statewide ban on the production and sale of new fur products,” remarks Jenny Berg, California State Director for the Human Society of the United States. 

[via WWD and Humane Society of the United States, cover image via Nico99 | Dreamstime.com]