The city of San Francisco, California issued an ordinance to prohibit the sale of fur products. The city’s press release, dated March 20, 2018 stated, “The goal of enacting the fur ban is to send a strong message to the fur industry that the cruelty these animals endure for the purpose of becoming clothing and accessories is not consistent with the values of our city”.
By Bureau Veritas Technical Services 1 minute readIn addition, to cruelty to animals, the city also stated that fur farming can be harmful to the environment and contributes to pollution of the air and water. Additionally, at times fur processing can use chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde.
The City of San Francisco defines “Fur Product” as: “any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion accessory, including but not limited to handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry, and keychains that is made in whole or in part of Fur. "Fur Product" does not include dog or cat fur products”.
The ordinance will go into effect on January 1, 2019. There will be a one-year amnesty until January 1, 2020 for retailers that can provide proof of purchase prior to March 20, 2018.
The ban does not include leather products, sheep or lamb skin products, non-apparel products, or second-hand items. A $500 penalty per item, per day could be fined for a company’s first violation.
For full details, the full ordinance can be viewed via the following link: