The high-end department store Nordstrom has confirmed that it will stop selling fur products by the end of next year. This is being considered the latest acknowledgement in fashion of consumers’ growing objections to the cruelty and unsustainability of the fur trade.

In a press release on 29 September 2020, Nordstrom, Inc. stated: ‘Today we announced the company will stop selling products made using animal fur or exotic animal skin by the end of 2021. The new companywide policy includes Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack and Last Chance stores, as well as Nordstrom’s e-commerce sites.’

Fashion retailers are now under strong pressure to turn their backs on fur. Most leading designers, such as Gucci, Armani and Prada, have gone fur-free.

Last year, famous department stores Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s announced a ban on selling real fur. Explaining their decision, Macy’s said, “We curate our assortment based on the wants and needs of our customers. Our customer is migrating away from natural fur and we are aligning with this trend.“

Last October, the State of California, a major market for Nordstrom and high-end fashion outlets,  passed legislation which will ban the sale and manufacturing of fur products starting in 2023.

Teri Bariquit, chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom said:

“As a leading fashion retailer, we’re committed to delivering the best possible service and merchandise for our customers. Delivering on that commitment means continually listening to customer feedback and evolving our product offering to ensure we’re meeting their needs.

“As part of our ongoing product evolution, we’ve recently made the decision to stop offering products made with genuine fur or exotic animal skin in any of our stores or online. Our private label brands haven’t used these materials for years, so extending this policy to all the brands we carry is a natural next step for our business.”