eBay Shoppers, Beware! Some Sellers Label Animal Fur as Faux Fur
eBay is a pretty cool place. Shoppers can find just about anything there, including a vast array of clothing styles and accessories—such as those made with ultra-chic faux fur—to match their personal flair. However, what you see isn’t always what you get.
A warning for anyone who’s casually browsing eBay sellers’ online stores or entering into a bidding war over a faux-fur garment: Be careful! Some sellers advertise animal-fur garments as faux because they know that compassionate shoppers wouldn’t buy these items knowing that they contained real fur. While it’s great that we’re now able to make synthetic materials that closely resemble animal fur, it can be difficult to tell the difference between an item of clothing made with real fur and one made with faux fur. And if you’re new to the faux-fur online shopping game, looking at pictures just doesn’t cut it.
There’s no way to know for sure what a product is made from, since eBay doesn’t protect shoppers looking for cruelty-free goods. And the company has no policy against falsely labeling fur items.
So How Do You Avoid Purchasing Animal Fur?
If you’re looking for faux fur and want to reduce your chances of accidentally buying animal fur, you should buy from companies that have banned fur—such as Gap Inc., H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Charlotte Russe, and Zara—or look for products without any furry trim or accents.
Animals killed for their fur endure extreme suffering. On fur farms, they’re condemned to a life of misery. They’re confined to cramped, lonely cages, and farmers use the cheapest, cruelest killing methods—including suffocation, anal electrocution, gas, and poison. Wild animals killed for their fur are often caught in steel-jaw traps or Conibear traps—which crush their necks, applying 90 pounds of pressure per square inch—and they can suffer for days from blood loss, dehydration, or attacks by predators.
Take the Extra Step
We love that you’re trying to make compassionate choices and shop without hurting animals, and it would suck if a mislabeled item ruined your eBay experience. Click the button below to pledge never to buy a product unless you’re sure that it’s fur-free, and commit to avoiding leather, wool, and exotic skins, too.
