Fur remains fashionable in US

The fur trade has long been supplying fashion houses and demand for fur has not fallen, despite

campaigns from anti-fur bodies.

Now a new ruling by the American Federal Trade Commission has rejected a proposal by the Humane Society to change the classification of labeling required of certain types of animal fur.

The HSUS has long been pressing the FTC to change the classification of “Asiatic Raccoon”, which has been on the books since 1961, to “Raccoon Dog”. The HSUS and others argued in FTC filings that the current classification misleads consumers as to a product’s fur content, which they contended is related to a domestic dog, a fact they claimed U.S. consumers might object to wearing.

The FTC also allowed more labeling flexibility in its new rule, removing prescribed label and font sizes, which received much industry support. The rulings will become effective in 180 days.