Fur and sustainability: Oxymoron or key to ‘deeper’ luxury?

Abstract

This article explores the notion of deeper luxury, which insists that 'real' luxury should involve sustainable practices in the production and consumption of luxury goods. It traces historical and recent developments in the field of fur to understand the implications, uncertainties and ambiguities of luxury's confrontation with sustainability. Considering fur in relation to future standards for luxury products, we raise questions about moral problematisation and justification of luxury in terms of sustainability. We first examine the encounter of luxury with sustainability and explain the significance of the notion of 'deeper luxury'. After taking stock of the impact of sustainability on luxury and various directions in which sustainable luxury is evolving, we discuss concepts of sustainable development in relation to the history of moral problematisation of luxury. This leads to the case of fur as material used to establish social distinctions from at least medieval times to the present and subject to moral condemnation and controversy. Our case inquiry reviews recent research projects and industry initiatives that seek to determine whether the fur can be seen as sustainable or not. The article discusses whether fur is about to lose or reclaim its legitimacy in an era of sustainable luxury, and concludes with reflections on depth and sustainable luxury.

Pro‐environmental millennial consumers' responses to the fur conundrum of luxury brands

“…These diverse brand fur stances provide luxury consumers with challenging choices to attempt avoiding dissonance. For instance, consumers have taken responsibility for cruelty towards animals by refraining from animal fur to embrace faux fur (Kim & Kwon, 2016) because of its moral controversy (Csaba & Skjold, 2018) and unethical practices (Lee, 2017).…”

Sustainable luxury: current status and perspectives for future research

“…Research should provide further evidence of how they can afford this and which measures have to be taken to allow small players in this supply chain as well to provide their share. Moreover, as the discussion by Csaba and Skjold (2018) shows, what sustainability actually means along a whole supply chain has to be clarified.…”

“…What does sustainability mean along the supply chain? Csaba and Skjold (2018) show the difficulties with respect to deciding what sustainable luxury actually is by discussing the case of fur as a luxury product. In this context, they investigate the supply chain: On the one hand, fur is considered a natural and thus theoretically renewable raw material, but on the other hand there is a high demand for resources during the production process, and this is also ethically very questionable.…”

Is animal welfare a central issue for consumers of luxury goods?

“…Second, innovations in “animal welfare technology” might help rebuild the legitimacy of fur ( Csaba & Skjold, 2018). The use of new technologies, and particularly green data, would cost luxury companies less than vertical integration when seeking to ensure that the raw materials are produced in conditions that respect animal welfare.…”

“…According to Csaba and Skjold (2018), fur incarnates luxury; it became a marker of status for the nouveau-riche during the rising industrialism of Europe and America in the 19th century. Fur is therefore a product that closely reflects Veblenʼs ostentatious consumption (Csaba & Skjold, 2018).…”