Woolrich Europe will stop making new garments that contain animal fur for the European market from 1 January 2027. The outdoor clothing brand made the decision after a campaign by animal protection groups calling on it to go fur-free. It is also reported to be working on extending the commitment to its business beyond Europe.
The pressure on the brand was sustained. The Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition of animal protection organisations, said its supporters sent Woolrich more than 200,000 emails during the campaign, and campaigners held demonstrations outside Woolrich stores across Europe. With its new policy, Woolrich Europe joins around 1,700 fashion brands and retailers that are part of the alliance’s Fur Free Retailer Programme. The European business was acquired last year by the Italian group BasicNet.
The move brings Woolrich into line with several of its closest competitors in premium outerwear. Canada Goose, Moncler, Napapijri and Parajumpers have all moved away from fur in recent years. Woolrich Europe is the latest of these names to sign up to the alliance’s retailer programme, which brings together companies that have committed to stop selling fur. Campaigners had targeted the brand directly, both online and outside its shops, before the announcement. The policy applies to new garments, and the company has set the start of 2027 as the date from which it takes effect in Europe.
Animal welfare groups welcomed the announcement. Thomas Pietsch, who is responsible for animal welfare in textiles at Four Paws, a member of the Fur Free Alliance, said shoppers want stylish and functional products without animal suffering. He added that the commitment “sends a strong signal to the industry and the EU Commission”. He said the decision comes at a time when policymakers are weighing the future of fur production and trade in the European Union.
That debate is moving towards a decision in Brussels. The European Commission is preparing its response to Fur Free Europe, a citizens’ initiative that gathered more than 1.5 million signatures calling for an end to fur farming and the sale of farmed fur in the EU. The alliance has also pointed to a recently published economic report which found that an EU-wide ban on fur farming would cost less than investing in higher welfare standards for farmed fur animals.
