Faux Real?!

     Living in a tropical country, I never had to worry about finding the perfect coat, parka, or jacket with matching mittens or gloves, and boots – which occasionally leaves me in dismay because I can’t wear the trench coats I see in Mango or Zara. Even when the weather turned nippy, it would still be odd to see a Filipino walking around the streets in a coat as if she was just strutting down Fifth Avenue, New York City.  Let’s face it – most, if not all, have the tendency to judge a person simply by their clothes.  And some people tend to overreact with their judgment, especially if something goes against their stands. Take faux fur, for example. There are people who strongly believe that faux fur still endanger animals and bash those hooked on the trend.

     People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, are against animal fur used for clothing – which is pretty much understandable. Every year, more than 50 million animals are violently executed all for the means of fashion. Obtaining the fur would mean gassing, electrocuting, or breaking the necks of the animals. In the mid-80’s, PETA started to draw attention to the suffering of animals raised for fur. And so, what better way to keep warm all the while looking fabulous without endangering our furry friends – faux fur. Of course, this encouraged designers to incorporate faux fur rather than real fur into their collections. By then, designers were very eager to shout out that none of their furry products actually contained real fur.

     Faux fur is an animal-friendly alternative. It is made from synthetic fibers designed to mirror actual fur. The energy used to develop a fur coat from an actual animal is 15 times greater than that required for a fake one. So, I think we know who the real winner is here. You don't have to skin an animal just to feel fabulous. To those people who say, "It's great that you don't feel embarrassed wearing fur!" but mean something like, "Shame on you, animal killer!!!" even if you've explained that it's fake fur and how it doesn't exactly kill the animal, remind them that mustard is currently dripping from their bacon cheeseburger. 


- Daniela Regis
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