Kit and Ace fur controversy at odds with consumer demand

The ethics of wearing animal is back in headlines after Vancouver-based retailer Kit and Ace was criticized for using animal fur on one of its products — the Berkeley toque — from an Asiatic raccoon that some argue is a member of the dog family.

The company, which says it is built on "integrity — in people and in product," appears, so far, to be standing by the pom-pom on its toque and where the fur comes from, despite animal rights advocates saying the company should be more sensitive. 

The issue came to light as the result of an investigative story by the National Observer, into the retailer's labelling of Asiatic raccoon fur. Some critics say the animals are actually canines, not raccoons, and call the labelling deceptive.

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"In many ways this issue is irrelevant because, in our view, no animal should have to suffer and die for the sake of fashion," said Peter Fricker who speaks for the Vancouver Humane Society.

Wearing fur

In the end, the argument may be irrelevant as it appears the wearing of fur has never been more popular.

"I don't think we've seen this many people wearing fur in a long, long time," said Alan Herscovici, executive vice-president of the Fur Council of Canada.

"We're not seeing in Canada sales of full fur coats," he added. "What you're seeing now is fur being used a lot in smaller pieces, in vests, in trim and ... it no longer costs huge amounts."

Herscovici speaks romantically about the fur trade in Canada, describing it as an artisanal trade that stretches back to the very foundation of the country, adding the industry has had to do more to market itself in the face of the often anonymous and vandalistic protests that have popped up in front of stores selling fur.

He says fur is being used at up to 70 per cent of fashion designer shows across North America and Europe.

Meanwhile numbers from Industry Canada over the past five years show the export and import of fur increasing dramatically.

3-year protest

Protests over the use of fur is something Jason Overbo has embraced at his store Brooklyn Clothing in Vancouver's Yaletown.

Once a week for the past three years protesters have loudly demonstrated outside of the store, yelling and showing graphic images of animals being killed for their fur.

"To be honest, it's been good for business," said Overbo.

"It's actually so annoying people want to support me and it's really kind of galvanized the neighbourhood with us and sort of against them."

Overbo sells Canada Goose winter jackets, which use coyote fur to line the hoods of its parkas.

Not winning

"They're not winning anyone over to their side," said Overbo of the protesters. "You don't win anybody over by screaming at them."

Still Overbo in the past year has dropped some products that he bought from China when he couldn't confirm that the products used to make them were coming from ethical sources, like regulated fur farms.

He says he probably would have eventually dropped the items, but the protesters did help bring the issue to his attention.

If anything, protests and stories about the use of fur in clothing are simply a form of marketing for companies like Brooklyn Clothing and Kit and Ace.

Herscovici with the Fur Council of Canada is taking advantage of that to say that most fur is not coming from endangered sources, lasts for decades and can ultimately be composted.

"You can't get much more ecological than that," he said..

He's also quick to say that if you're really that much against fur, the best thing to do is simply not buy it.