In case of doubt – do without

Labels can be a great aid for consumers. Just like in other industries, it is often difficult to find your way through the maze of labels. Depending on the origin of the label, it will either actually stand for animal-friendly products or be a trick to not disclose production methods. If animal welfare is truly important to you, then the only alternative is to refrain from buying fur.

Top! – "Fur Free Fox"

The Fur Free Alliance has developed a label that can be used in clothing stores, for fashion labels, and in boutiques that refrain from selling animal fur. Wherever you see a small sleeping fox and the information "No animal fur sold here" on the door, you can rest assured that you will not be supporting animal torturing with your purchase. This label can be recommended without any restrictions. Find here Swiss retailers you can trust.

Helpful – duty of declaration in Switzerland

Since March 1, 2013, fur and fur products to be sold to consumers in Switzerland must be duly declared. The declaration must state the scientific and zoological name of the animal species that supplied the fur. In addition, the animal’s origin and fur production method must be disclosed. It must be clear that the animal was not trapped (wild animal) and it must be described how it was housed and kept. If no clear declaration can be made, the clothing is to be marked as follows: „May stem from trapping or hunting (not involving the use of traps) or from any kind of animal housing, in particular also from caging“. Every person or company that sells fur is legally obliged to fulfill this duty of declaration.

Less helpful – the IFTF label

The International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF) has issued guidelines for the labeling of fur products. A clearly visible label should provide information on the animal species, including its scientific name in Latin, English, and the local language. In addition to this, information on product care as well as the name of the manufacturer should also be provided. However, particularly in the case of accessories or clothes with fur trimmings such labels are missing completely. Information on the production method as well as the origin of the fur are also missing, which make this label no more than a pseudo declaration that is of no the use.

Flop! – Label OA "Origin Assured"

The IFTF introduced the label, "Origin Assured", together with the American Legend Cooperative, Finnish Fur Sales, Copenhagen Fur, and North American Fur Auctions. It is to furnish proof of the origin of the fur. According to the information on the founder’s website, this has been the most important initiative of the fur trade industry in the past years. This label was designed for farmed furs (Origin Assured Farmed Fur) as well as for wild furs (Origin Assured Wild Fur) and compliance with the corresponding conditions is voluntary.

The OA label is supposed to build consumer trust and to ensure that the fur was produced in a country with applicable national and regional laws and standards on fur production. Much advertisement is made for this label: Designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Roberto Cavalli and John Galliano have all advertised for the OA, for instance by stating: "Buying Origin Assured furs addresses many consumer issues”. It allows consumers to be confident that they need not ask any questions about the origin of the fur." We take that this means that it is undesirable that consumers ask questions. This label feigns seriousness and state control but supports animal torturing for farmed fur and can thus not be considered a viable recommendation.

Swiss Red Fox

The Swiss Red Fox campaign launched by the Swiss Fur Trade Association advertises the fur autumn collection stemming from hunted Swiss red foxes. The campaign is justified by stating that annually, 40,000 foxes are killed in Switzerland in order to maintain a sound number of foxes and natural balance. This justification is unsustainable from a wild animal perspective and scientifically absurd. "Swiss Red Fox" is a deception maneuver to divert attention from the torturing of fur animals on farms.