The Accessories Council, a not-for-profit organization committed to helping the accessories industry sustain steady and strategic growth by continuing to build relationships within the accessories community, has addressed New York City potentially banning the sale of fur apparel.
President Karen Giberson released the following statement:
“New York City’s proposed “fur” ban has led me to spend a lot of time in the market in recent weeks. I attended a fur trade show, met many of the manufacturers and last week spent an entire day at City Hall for a hearing, listening to both sides of the debate.
“No matter your position on the use of fur, emotions are high. Our members that use fur are afraid of losing their businesses. Many of these are multi-generational family-run companies. These manufacturers and showrooms employ artists who have taken years to learn the craft, have special machinery and tools that are not easy to repurpose. Many of them are making their products in New York City, some in the very same building where our office is based. There is no doubt, that if this ban goes into place, there will be thousands of job losses (economists estimate 7,500), empty office spaces and lost tax revenue to the city.
“I have been asked a few times over the last weeks about my personal feelings the use of fur. I have never really been in the market for a new fur coat and though I have admired some over the years, I could never afford one. That said, one of my most treasured possessions is a red fur jacket. My father gave the jacket to my mother when they were dating in the early 1960s. The body of the jacket is a bright red fur and the sleeves are a black knit. I have no idea what kind of fur the jacket is, but I believe it came from Japan when my father was stationed there while in the Air Force.
“When I was a little girl, I begged to wear it and sometimes, on special occasions, I was allowed to try it on. As I got older, I borrowed the coat and after my father passed away, my mother let me keep it. I still wear it today and it’s still as fashionable as it was in the 1960s.
“The coat is probably not valuable, aside from its sentimental worth. But 55 years later, the jacket is still intact, beautiful and I will undoubtedly, give it to my own daughter someday. In a time of fast and disposable fashion, a garment that can last that long is pretty impressive. Furs, like fine jewelry, are investment pieces, items that are special purchases and passed along. I have many friends who have restyled their jackets, made them into linings of coats or even stuffed bears. Others have sent their jackets to be consigned or resold… but thrown away… Never.
“In the near future, the city will vote on this ban and depending on the outcome, the future of the industry will be altered forever. There is never an excuse for unethical treatment of animals. I hope that the city will consider the adoption of an independently reviewed “Fur Mark” to assure that any possible bad players are eliminated.”
The Accessories Council is a not-for-profit, international trade organization established in 1994. Our mission is to stimulate global consumer awareness and demand for fashion accessory products. It serves the industry globally which generates over $50.8 billion dollars annually in the United States alone.
