11 September 2025 – Today, the Fur Free Alliance launched a global campaign urging outerwear brand Woolrich to join its competitors—including Canada Goose, Moncler, Napapijri, Parajumpers, Patagonia and many others—in adopting a fur-free policy. The coalition is made up of 50 animal protection organizations in more than 30 countries, likely making this Woolrich campaign one of the largest corporate anti-fur campaigns of all time. Attempts to contact the company, which has 33 stores and outlets throughout Europe and Asia, have gone unanswered. 

The animal fur used for Woolrich’s parkas comes from fur factory farms, where wild animals such as raccoon dogs and foxes spend their entire lives in small wire-bottom cages, deprived of the ability to engage in natural behaviors—only to be killed by electrocution. Woolrich also uses fur from coyotes trapped in the wild, caught in brutal devices like leghold traps or snares, and which can trap them for days without food or water. Animals often gnaw off their own limbs in a desperate attempt to escape before the trappers return to kill them by either drowning, suffocation or bludgeoning.

Woolrich touts that it preserves and protects nature, yet the company continues to support a fur trade that unnecessarily kills wildlife and is considered one of the most environmentally devastating industries. Fur factory farms and tanneries are extremely harmful to our soil and waterways, pumping waste and toxic chemicals into the surrounding environment. The traps responsible for killing wild animals are indiscriminate, often maiming and killing non-target animals, like endangered species and people’s pets. The fur industry is an environmental nightmare, and if Woolrich truly cares about nature, it would choose to protect wildlife and their environment rather than destroying them. 

Fur Free Alliance Chairman Joh Vinding says:

By continuing to support the fur trade, Woolrich is choosing animal cruelty and environmental devastation over compassion and innovation. Thankfully, cruelty is no longer in fashion, as consumers care more about animal welfare and new laws coming into force around the globe are ending the demand for fur products. Woolrich would be smart to get with the times and go fur-free.

Twenty-two countries throughout Europe have banned fur production because of animal cruelty and risks to the environment and public health, and Israel, California and 16 cities across the U.S. have banned fur sales to create a more humane marketplace and drive innovation. On 1 July 2025, Switzerland imposed a ban on the import of cruelly produced furs. The ban is the first in Europe and comes into force with a two-year transition period.

In 2023, the Fur Free Alliance asked its supporters around the globe to contact Max Mara to ask the Italian luxury brand to go fur-free, resulting in more than 270,000 emails, 5,000 phone calls and countless social media posts being sent to the company. The coalition even had a hot air balloon fly over Max Mara’s headquarters to ensure that the company and its employees were receiving the message. Max Mara eventually went fur-free last year, becoming the latest major fashion brand to take such a step. The Fur Free Alliance also worked with Gucci, Armani, Hugo Boss and many others to announce fur-free policies. Today, more than 1650 brands and retailers have pledged to go fur-free by joining the Fur Free Retailer Program.