Max Mara, it’s time to go fur-free!
The Fur Free Alliance has launched a sweeping global campaign, calling on Italian fashion powerhouse Max Mara to follow in the footsteps of its competitors such as Gucci, Versace, Armani, Prada, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, and others, by embracing a fur-free policy. This campaign, set to unfold during the fashion weeks in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris, is poised to be a monumental effort. Backed by the expansive network of the Fur Free Alliance, which comprises 50 animal protection organizations across 35 countries, the push for Max Mara's involvement is anticipated to mark the largest corporate anti-fur campaign. It is expected to generate tens of thousands of emails, calls, and social media posts, amplifying the message against fur use in fashion.
In September 2018, the Fur Free Alliance called on its supporters worldwide to urge Prada to go fur-free. The Italian luxury brand responded to these calls the following year by adopting a fur-free policy, reflecting a shift in stakeholder values. The Fur Free Alliance has also collaborated with Gucci, Armani, Hugo Boss, and many others to announce fur-free policies. Presently, over 1500 brands and retailers have pledged to go fur-free by joining the Fur Free Retailer Program.
The global campaign is directing its efforts towards Max Mara, the flagship brand, as well as the entire Max Mara Fashion Group, which includes brands like Marina Rinaldi and SportMax that still utilize animal fur in their products. Max Mara’s offerings include mink gloves, fox fur cuffs, raccoon dog charms, and fur-trimmed hoods.
The conditions on fur factory farms are dire, with wild animals enduring a lifetime confined in wire-bottom cages, devoid of natural behaviors, only to face cruel methods of killing such as gassing or anal electrocution. In the wild, trapped animals suffer for days without sustenance, often resorting to self-mutilation in desperate attempts to escape. Beyond the immense suffering inflicted on animals, fur production wreaks havoc on the environment. Fur farms and tanneries discharge harmful waste and toxic chemicals into the soil and waterways. At the same time, traps intended for wild animals are indiscriminate, posing risks to endangered species and pets. The fur industry's environmental impact is nothing short of catastrophic.
Recognizing the shifting values of consumers, many major fashion brands have pledged to ban fur from their collections. In Europe, twenty countries have prohibited fur production due to concerns over animal cruelty and environmental hazards. California and fourteen U.S. cities have also banned fur sales to promote a more humane marketplace and spur innovation.
Fur Free Alliance Chairman Joh Vinding says:
“Max Mara’s support for the archaic and cruel fur trade makes them look outdated and indifferent to animal suffering. Max Mara should join its fur-free peers and choose compassion over profits.”
