As consumers become increasingly aware of the underbelly of the fashion industry, including its contribution to climate change as well as its impacts on animal welfare, fashion retailers are starting to respond by ramping up their corporate social responsibility efforts.
One of the latest major fashion retailers to do so is Nordstrom, who recently announced that it will stop selling furs and skins from exotic animals by 2021, following increasing pressure from activists and the public.
To implement the plan, the company has partnered up with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). As part of the effort, all clothing and accessories made from fur or any other animal-derived material will not be sold at Nordstrom stores, including Nordstrom Rack and Last Chance, or the retailer’s e-commerce sites.
The decision was welcomed by HSUS, with the organization’s CEO Kitty Block praising the brand for banning not just furs but also other animal skins. “We applaud Nordstrom for ending the sale of fur and becoming the first United States-based retailer to ban exotic animal skins,” Block said. “This is a pivotal step toward a more humane business model and a safer world for animals.”
Hopefully, more brands will soon follow in the footsteps of Nordstrom and commit to taking similar animal-derived products out of their inventories.
