Faux fur is a material that imitates the look and feel of animal-derived fur. While on the one hand, faux fur addresses the concerns about animal welfare in the production of fur, on the other, it creates another set of issues linked to its ecological footprint. Most faux furs are made from synthetic fibers, usually acrylic or polyester, which means that their production relies heavily on non-renewable resources such as petroleum and carbon-based fossil fuels. The production process is linked with high energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and microfiber pollution.(1–4) The life cycle assessments (LCA) that compared the environmental impacts of faux fur and natural fur are inconclusive as the results vary in dependence on care, product lifespan and other variables linked particularly to provenance and use.(5,6) The emerging alternatives to virgin petroleum-based faux fur include blends of bio-based plastics and recycled polyester.
FAUX FUR
