Saks Fifth Avenue Pledges to Ban All Fur Products By 2022

The giant fashion retailer Saks Fifth Avenue announced that it will commit to banning fur products at all its locations by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. Across all stores, the retailer hopes to phase out its fur items in favor of protecting wild animals, and following the growing trend of designers and retailers separating themselves from the cruel practice.

“Across the Saks Fifth Avenue experience, we evaluate several factors when making decisions about our assortment, including customer preferences and societal shifts,” Saks Chief Merchandising Officer Tracy Margolies said. “We recognize that trends constantly evolve and that the sale of fur remains a significant social issue. As such, eliminating it from our assortment is the right step for us to take at this time.”

Saks Fifth Avenue’s commitment extends to fur from animals raised for skins as well as fur from wild animals. By cutting out its fur materials, the retailers join a bigger movement to leave fur as an outdated fashion trend.

Fellow retail company Macy’s removed fur from its racks in 2019, extending across all 680 of its outlets. The company-wide ban withdrew its fur products from all Macy’s, Bloomingdales, and Macy’s, Inc discount stores like Bloomingdale’s The Outlet and Macy’s Backstage. The companies were also joined by Nordstrom, announcing last year that it will remove animal products from all its store by the end of 2021. The retailers have noticed consumer trends alongside the increased fur bans from fashion designers, leading

“Saks Fifth Avenue’s fur-free announcement is a game-changer,” CEO of the Humane Society of the US Kitty Block said. “Clearly consumers no longer want animal cruelty in their wardrobes, and credit to Saks for recognizing that the future of luxury is about innovative alternatives that are better for animals and the environment. More and more brands and companies are adopting fur-free policies and it’s only a matter when, not if, the few remaining fashion brands will catch up with his new standard.”

Saks Fifth Avenue and the other retailers continue to remove fur products from shelves, and they're not the only ones: Fewer manufacturers and designers are releasing fur products as the demand for them has decreased. Many brands over the last few years have outwardly banned fur and animal products from their fashion lines, opting for faux textiles instead. The Fur Free Alliance organized an animal-rights initiative called the Fur Free Retailer program. Recently fashion brands Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, and H&M dropped fur from their lines, joining the Fur Free movement, and this growing number of big names reveals that the fashion world is ready to leave behind animal products and move into a cruelty-free future.