Adidas Announces a New Commitment to Permanently Ban Fur From Products

Sportswear and athleisure apparel giant Adidas has just vowed to ban fur from the company’s products. Although the company does not use fur in any of its collections or products currently, the move signifies that the brand is taking a clear stance against animal cruelty and will keep moving towards a more sustainable business model. Adidas announced that it would join the Fur Free Retailer movement, making it the 1,500th apparel company to commit to becoming a furless brand.

The Fur Free Retailer movement is promoted by the Humane Society International (HSI), who applauded the decision to renounce fur from the company standards. Alongside other retailers and competitors, Adidas continues to grow sustainability initiatives and use more eco-friendly textiles.

“Adidas is driving the topic of sustainability in all areas of its product range as well as across its entire business operations,” said Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Adidias Frank Henke. “We’ve already been exclusively sourcing more sustainable cotton since 2018. We will only be using recycled polyester from 2024. And this year will be launching the first running shoes that are made to be remade.”

“The permanent renunciation of fur underlines our commitment in searching for and scaling up sustainable material innovation,” Henke said. The HSI released a statement congratulating Adidas’ public announcement condemning the use of fur in clothes. The organization hopes that the sportswear giant will serve as an example that famous brands have the flexibility necessary to step away from unsustainable materials and fashion.

“We commend Adidas for taking a public stand against the cruelty of fur fashion,” Executive Director of the HSI Claire Bass said. “Adidas’ commitment clearly shows that even brands not using fur still want to distance themselves from the cruel and environmentally damaging fur industry. Every time a leading brand commits to a fur-free policy...We’re one step closer to a world where millions of animals no longer endure a lifetime of suffering for the frivolity of fur fashion.”

Adidas’ new commitment to not use fur is not the first time that the company spoke out against animal products. The company has worked to develop a vegan range of sneakers that is moving the brand to a plant-based model. The brand also announced last year that it is working on using mushroom-based leather as an alternative to animal-derived leather.

“Adidas is developing a new material, a purely biological leather alternative made from mycelium, and will use it for the very first time in the creation of footwear,” the company said.

With Adidas' latest commitment, the company is setting the example for its competitors by working to become more sustainable. With an expanding vegan range and a fresh dedication to find alternatives to animal products, we can expect more plant-based and cruelty-free options from the brand in the future.