First-ever plant-based, recyclable Fur-Free-Fur coat launched by Stella McCartney
No animals were harmed in the making of the coat launched at Paris Fashion Week
The fur trade is something which appals vegans due to the slaughter of animals that is involved. So the launch of what is believed to be the world’s first commercially available faux-fur coat made using plant-based ingredients by Stella McCartney’s vegan fashion brand has been met with acclaim on social media.
The fashion designer has just launched the Koba Fur-Free Fur at her recent Spring/Summer 2020 show in Paris.
“I am incredibly excited about this new eco-friendly, bio-based Fur-Free Fur. It is another big step toward the future of fashion being sustainable and animal free” said McCartney.
The Koba coats were previews at a private photo shoot at the show with model Natalia Vodianova. They are made by Ecopel in collaboration with DuPont’s plant-based fibres and recycled polyester. The corn-based element in Koba is designed to lower the carbon footprint of the product and also raise the quality to fit with the ethos of a luxury brand. The collaboration has been on-going for two years.
This is McCartney’s first major sustainability initiative since LVMH bought a minority stake in her ethical clothing brand in July. Time will tell whether or not this material will be used in any of LVMH’s other brands.
Ethical vegan clothing
McCartney has long been an advocate for animal protection. She is of course of the daughter of possibly the world’s most famous vegetarian, Sir Paul McCartney. As she states on her website:
“I think that the fashion industry can get away with a lot and it is getting away with murder. Fur is the most unnecessary thing in the world. Those animals are not eaten, if they try to pretend that the fur industry products are by-products they are not. Those animals are bred to be turned into coats.”
Whilst many designers have opted out of fur in recent years, recent faux furs have been made from non-biodegradable materials. This launch marks the start of a new trend as Koba coats can also be recycled at the end of its lifecycle.
