California Makes History As Statewide Fur Sale Ban Takes Effect

California has made history by becoming the first US state to ban the sale of new animal fur products, with the law taking effect on January 1, 2023. The ban applies to both online and in-store sales, and is expected to have significant implications for the fur industry as a whole. Data from 2017 shows that around 25 percent of all fur sales in the US occurred in California, despite the state not producing fur itself and importing products from countries like China and European nations.

This move by California may lead to other states and countries following suit, as awareness of the cruelty and environmental impact of the fur industry grows. Fur farms are already illegal in several countries, and demand for fur has been declining due to increased understanding of the suffering of animals involved in the production process. Animals like foxes, chinchillas, minks, and rabbits are kept in inhumane conditions on fur farms and subjected to cruel methods of killing, including being skinned alive.