Sporting goods retailer Paragon Sports has announced it will no longer sell Canada Goose parkas and other items that feature real fur.
In a statement, the New York City-based company said it was banning fur due to “considerable innovation” in its fur-free products.
It is also adapting to changing consumer preferences. The brand stated that “many of [its] customers have grown to prefer” cruelty-free options.
Paragon Sports said this winter will be the last season it sells fur products in its store.
The move comes after a three-year campaign by animal activists in New York City. The campaign was backed by the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
“Paragon Sports is moving into the future by leaving fur behind,” Tracy Reiman, PETA’s Executive Vice President, said in a release.
Reiman added: “As Canada Goose struggles and fails to change its cruel image, PETA looks forward to seeing Paragon’s racks finally free of the brand’s fur-trimmed coats.”
Major Retailers Ditch Fur
Canada Goose no longer uses virgin fur. Earlier this year, the company’s sustainability impact strategy report outlined its pledge to use only “reclaimed” fur by 2022. In lieu of trapping coyotes in North America and Europe, Canada Goose said it will buy back and recycle fur from its old coats.
Apparel management company Global Brands Group, which licenses brands like Calvin Klein and AllSaints, also banned fur this year. In a statement, Reiman said: “PETA applauds Global Brands Group for its compassionate and business-savvy decision to ban fur, which shows that the future of fashion is vegan.”
In June, Sephora banned all fur eyelashes, including those made with mink. It announced it would use synthetic and faux fur alternatives instead.
Even Anna Wintour is embracing faux fur. The Vogue editor-in-chief sported a sustainable faux fur coat from designer Stella McCartney’s Autumn 2020 collection. The British designer took to Instagram to write that it was a “proud, proud moment.” She said Wintour sent “a loud message to the industry that change is here.”
In addition to Paragon Sports, outdoor retailers like Columbia Sportswear, The North Face, and Patagonia have also gone fur-free.
