Fur and Fashion
Debate as the Oxford Union, 25 January, 2006

Fur and Fashion
By Richard D North
Prepared for a debate at Oxford Union
25 January, 2006

1 Most anti-fur campaigners abuse the truth when they describe the fur trade.

2 Fashion – like art – is often offensive on purpose. Attacking fur makes it sexy.

3 Very little fur is trapped, and it’s a sustainable rural livelihood where it goes on.

4 Fur from endangered species has been banned for decades.

5 Well-managed fur farming is as kind as well-managed farming for food.

6 Over 90% of fur on sale in the West, comes from the (well-regulated) West.

7 China’s fur farms are soon likely to be world class because of world trade.

8 Brutal Asian cat and dog markets are nothing to do with Western fur-wearing.

9 Furriers should continue to say more about how their animals are produced.

10 Hate campaigns against furriers (or anyone else) make them less open, not more.