French luxury brand group, Kering, has announced that starting from the Fall 2022 fashion season, every single one of its fashion houses will stop using fur—for good. This is great news for sustainability, as the harms of using fur has long been a heated topic between the fashion world and ethical groups, and Kering is one of the biggest luxury fashion providers in the world.

If you are not familiar with Kering Group, surely you know some of the parts that make up the whole: Balenciaga, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta and Saint Laurent are just a few that Kering Group holds within their portfolio. As a luxury group, they manage and develop a large variety of clothing lines, leather products, as well as watches and jewellery. In 2020, the group boasted a figure of €13.1 billion in revenue and over 38,000 employees on their payroll. On their website, Kering noted their “willingness to improve practices” as they recognize the changing world and the problems of fur “when it comes to animal welfare”.

The major reason for the shift away from fur over the last decade is biodiversity loss. With fashion being one of the biggest industries in the world, we can only imagine how many animals are needed in its production process to meet the demands of consumers. With various species at target, from wolves and minks to other more endangered species, it is no wonder why the fur industry poses such a threat to biodiversity. Coupled with other environmental issues such as waste runoff degrading the local environment and greenhouse gas emissions—not to mention the inherently cruel process of producing fur goods—it's high time for fashion to behind to turn its back on fur. Many brands, not just those under Kering, have shifted to using faux fur instead, the technology of which is only getting better with the product's popularity. 

This is not the first time that Kering Group has made progress towards sustainability. On their website, you can access and view their roadmap on becoming more sustainable. This year, they launched the Regenerative Fund for Nature in collaboration with Conservation International as well as another initiative with Cartier for building more “climate resilience and preserving resources” in the jewelry industry. They also have many policies already in place in terms of human rights and equality in the workplace.

We still have a long way to go before we reach sustainability in fashion. One lingering question is when brands and groups such as Kering will begin to take a similar stance on real leather. But hopefully with prominent conglomerates taking a sustainable stance against issues like fur, competitors and aspiring brands will soon follow suit. 

Read more: Small Steps Towards Sustainable Living