The fur industry in China is in steep decline, with falling business numbers, fewer pelts produced, and fashion houses turning their back on the use of animal fur.   

The latest findings, as reported by Fur Free Alliance member organisation ACTAsia, show clear signs that the multi-billion pound industry is struggling. ACTAsia’s research reveals a sharp drop in the number of fur farms in China, the world’s largest fur producer, from 18 million in May 2023 to 10.7 million in March 2024. The production of pelts in China has also dropped more than half in 2023, compared to the previous year.

According to ACTAsia’s founder and CEO Pei Su, demand has dropped as a result of global fashion brands joining the Fur Free Retailer program and growing concerns about fur farms and their potential link to COVID-19:

“It now feels possible that the fur trade might end in my lifetime – something I never believed possible! Equally, while I want to celebrate the decreasing numbers, we can’t yet claim victory when there are still tens of millions of innocent animals being pointlessly slaughtered every year, just for their fur.”

As well as the shocking cruelty involved in fur production, there are also associated environmental concerns due to the process. Breeding millions of animals just for their fur is an incredibly wasteful and inefficient process that comes with a severe ecological footprint. On top of that, there are implications for global health as fur farms are seen as a high-risk breeding ground for future pandemics, as evidenced in a recent scientific paper from a One Health perspective. 

The Chinese fur industry is particularly prevalent in the north of the country where the colder weather means animals produce thicker fur and the majority of animals are raised on factory farms. ACTAsia’s new report stresses that animal welfare protection laws in China do not cover animals bred for their fur, and checks are inadequately assessed.  Pei Su adds:

“Not only does fur farming cause extreme stress to millions of animals in captivity it also poses a huge risk to the environment and crucially to human health. We want to see greater regulation to protect vulnerable animals and humans, with more investment in education for consumers to know the truth about fur productions, as well as the promotion of sustainable alternatives.”