Respect for Animals is delighted to welcome leading High Street brand River Island as the latest member of the international Fur Free Retailer program.

With over 60 years of fashion retailing experience, River Island is one of the most well-known and loved brands on the High Street.

By becoming a Fur Free Retailer, the company has highlighted how the most exciting and innovative fashion trends are saying no to fur. It is becoming increasingly clear that the future of sustainable fashion is fur-free.

River Island’s new Sustainability Strategy document states:

“Animal Welfare is a key consideration in the selection of our materials…All our suppliers must be socially responsible when sourcing animal products, and they are responsible for demonstrating due diligence in ensuring this policy is observed. We are proudly fur free, and are listed on the Fur Free Retailer Programme.”

Mark Glover, Campaigns Director for Respect for Animals, leaders on the Fur Free Alliance’s Fur Free Retailer programme in the UK, said: “Thank you to River Island for making a formal commitment not to use real fur.  This is good news for animal welfare and good news for sustainable fashion. The fur industry is a barbaric trade, causing environmental damage and untold suffering to innocent animals, just for the fur on their backs. River Island’s commitment shows that the High Street says an emphatic ‘no’ to the cruel and unnecessary fur trade.”

Sustainable fashion has turned strongly against the fur trade in recent years, as serious concerns about animal welfare continue to grow. Indeed, over a dozen European countries have recently introduced fur production bans, including Norway, Belgium and The Netherlands, and the U.S. state of California has banned the sale of fur. There is now strong pressure on the UK government to introduce a fur imports and sales ban, with Early Day Motion 267 – backed by Respect for Animals – drawing cross-party support in Parliament.

Fur Free Retailer

The Fur Free Retailer Program is a leading global initiative connecting fur-free businesses to consumers seeking ethical goods. Run in over 25 countries and with over 1500 brands, the Fur Free Retailer program is an international initiative of the Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of more than 50 animal protection organizations worldwide working together to end the breeding and killing of animals for their fur. In the UK, the program is managed by Respect for Animals. Many British companies have committed in writing to the Fur Free Retailer programme. By signing up, these outlets have proven that they are socially responsible and are opposed to the cruelty of the fur trade.

A list of retailers- and more on the initiative- can be seen here: https://respectforanimals.org/fur-free-retailers.