Humane Society: Real Fur Found On 'Faux Fur' Coats (Again)

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Here we go again. Why is Congress stalling? Because it comes from China. Humane Society: Real Fur Found On 'Faux Fur' Coats Last Edited: Thursday, 27 Dec 2007, 5:58 PM EST Created: Thursday, 27 Dec 2007, 4:28 PM EST WTXF-FOX 29 SideBar Related Items Links Fur-Free Campaign Videos No matter what your moral feelings are about fur for fashion's sake, the bottom line is, you may not be able to trust the label on your clothing! An

investigation by the Humane Society found real fur on many jackets even though the labels say it's fake! Animal-lover Jane Leinecker wouldn't wear real fur so trusts her fuzzy collar is a phony. "This one you can tell when you feel it it's definitely synthetic." But the Humane Society of the United States did a little shopping at big department stores and what they found was surprising. Michael Markarian of the Humane Society of the United States said, "Inside the jacket, it says the trim is 100% polyester but we tested this fur and found it was in fact not polyester but it's fur from raccoon dogs." That was an Andrew Marc children's jacket. The Humane Society purchased men’s, women’s and children’s jackets that were labeled or advertised as faux fur. "Customers are being deceived. They're being told they're buying fake fur and it's

fur that's ripped off the backs of animals often animals that are skinned alive in China," Markarian said. One Burberry jacket from Saks Fifth Avenue.com was advertised as faux fur but Humane Society laboratory tests reveal the trim is rabbit fur. This Marc New York jacket from Lord and Taylor says the trim is 100% polyester. But Markarian said Humane Society tests show it's fur from raccoon dogs and rabbits. "Our investigators have been in china they've seen dogs and cats and raccoon dogs skinned alive, beaten over the heads, stomped on..." When the Humane Society bought this Aqua jacket from Bloomingdales.com, it was described as a bomber jacket with a faux fur collar. Now the description is very different. It says very clearly - removable rabbit fur collar. The Fur Products Labeling Act

requires accurate labeling if the item contains more than $150 worth of fur. A bill in Congress would close that loophole, requiring labeling of all fur garments, regardless of value. "People have a right to know whether they're in favor of fur or against fur, they have a right to know what they're getting," said Markarian. Fox 29 spoke with the Dean of the School of Engineering and Textiles at Philadelphia University to figure out how you at home can tell the difference between real and fake fur. Dr. David Brookstein says take a very small bit of fiber and light a match to it, carefully! If it smells like burning hair, it is real fur. If it balls up and melts it is synthetic, real fur does not melt. Fox 29 News placed calls to the stores where the Humane Society says they purchased these jackets; Macys, Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor,

Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Saks Fifth Avenue was the only store to respond saying the store was "Given written representation from Burberry that the coat contained Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight - Albert Schweitzer http://www.crueltyfree.com/ForTheAnimals