ZARA To Withdraw Fur Worldwide
Following an international campaign by anti-fur activists, the multinational textile group Inditex, which owns fashion chain Zara among others, has decided to withdraw all real fur from all of its 2,064 stores in 52 countries.
This will take immediate effect in all but 6 countries, where fur will be phased out over the coming weeks, and stock will not be replaced. The company will stop selling all fur in all its shops around the world by December 31 2004.
The decision was taken just 3 days before a planned international day of action against the company. Protests had been planned outside Zara shops in over 40 towns and cities throughout Europe and North Amercia.
Plans were firmly in place for the day of action, we had produced a special leaflet which was being translated into various languages, and more demos were being planned by the day.
Then just days before the date we were approached by Inditex and told of this marvellous decision.
Of course it would have been better if the company stopped selling fur immediately in all the countries where it has outlets, but the fact that such a huge and influential fashion company is going fur free is a credit to campaigners around the world. It is also makes a mockery of the fur trade claims that fur is making a comeback Well done everyone, keep it up.
Below is the text of the original letter sent to CAFT to confirm Inditex/Zara's change of policy.
Click here for background to the campaign
click here for media reports of Zara's decision
To see an original copy of the original letter, click here
Dear Customer,
I am writing to you in my capacity as Deputy Chairman of the Inditex Group concerning the rabbit issue in your country.
I am pleased to inform you that our corporation has made certain key decisions. We understand that our customers are more and more aware of this kind of matter each day and wish to reflect their concerns in our practices. As a consequence, we have decided:
1.. To stop the sale of products made using rabbit fur and any kind of
fur in all our stores located in USA, United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium,
Holland,
Luxemburg, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czeck
Republic, Slovenia, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and all
countries
where we have shops as from 22 September 2004.
2.. To sell the remaining stock of clothes with rabbit fur and any kind of fur in our stores located in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Mexico and Venezuela until stocks run out and never after 31 December 2004.
3.. To establish a formal corporate policy concerning this issue which
lays down that as from 1 January 2005 the Inditex Group will not use any fur in
its clothes or any other products. This policy will cover all Inditex
stores throughout the world.
This measure is one step further in our commitment to respect the animals and environment surrounding us.
For any further information, please visit our corporate web site at www.inditex.com or contact either me or the Corporate Responsibility Department at the address given above.
Thank you for contacting us with your concerns.
Yours sincerely,
José María Castellano Ríos
Deputy Chairman and CEO
Inditex Group
