Following a recent PETA campaign, Ellery has proudly announced that it is withdrawing all garments that use fur from all retail and online stores as well as pledging to never use any fur in future designs. Over 60,000 PETA supporters bombarded the Australian brand’s social media channels with messages and the hashtag #FurIsDead, urging the designer to reconsider her use of pelts and leather. In particular for Ellery’s pre-fall 2016 collection which featured at Paris Fashion Week this year and displayed a number of fox and rabbit fur pieces.
“Today’s kind shoppers want nothing to do with an industry that confines animals to cramped cages, violently beats them, and tears their skin off,” said Ashley Fruno, PETA Australia’s Associate Director of Campaigns. “By banning fur from future collections, Ellery has done the right thing for animals and consumers.”
Despite the brand’s plans to discontinue fur, a statement from Ellery points out its supplier of fur was strictly regulated. “Ellery is proud of its ethical supply chain and sourced fur from Finnish-based, Saga Furs. Saga Furs come exclusively from strictly government-regulated and certified European farms. Transparency and quality are the core values of the Saga Furs brand and the company files annual reports on its responsibility.”
However, a recent exposé by PETA UK shows fur farms across Europe, including Finland, and the treatment of the animals on these farms who spend their lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages before being electrocuted, gassed, or poisoned.
Ellery now joins the likes of other top retailers and designers such as David Jones, Myer, Camilla Franks, Nicola FInetti and so many more who are all proudly 100 percent fur-free.
