The decision has been in the air for some time, but now it is official: the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has announced that, from New York Fashion Week in September 2026, the use of animal fur will no longer be allowed in the collections presented within the official calendar. An epochal choice that follows a process of discussion that has lasted for years with associations such as Humane World for Animals and Collective Fashion Justice, committed to the protection of animals and the promotion of more ethical materials.
A total ban with one exception
The new policy states that fur from animals raised or captured exclusively for their skin, such as mink, foxes, rabbits, chinchillas, karakul, coyotes and raccoon dogs, cannot be used. The only exception concerns furs obtained by indigenous communities through traditional subsistence practices, recognized as an integral part of their cultural heritage. With this move, the Cfda aligns itself with an increasingly widespread sentiment among consumers and professionals, who consider such materials no longer sustainable or ethically acceptable.
A transition path for designers
To allow stylists to adapt their creative processes, a transition period has been foreseen. The Cfda will offer educational resources, a library of innovative materials and technical support to move towards sustainable alternatives already tested by numerous international fashion houses.
The objective is to accompany brands towards cruelty-free solutions, without compromising creativity, quality and aesthetic value. “We want American fashion to become a reference in the choice of ethical materials” declared president Steven Kolb, underlining how furs are now almost absent from New York fashion shows.
A global movement in fashion
New York’s decision follows what has already happened in other fashion capitals: London Fashion Week has eliminated the promotion of fur in 2023, while Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Melbourne have adopted similar policies.
In the publishing sector, giants such as Condé Nast, ELLE and InStyle have already banned the use of animal fur in content and advertising. At the same time, many big brands – including Gucci, Prada, Versace and Armani – have chosen to definitively abandon fur, preferring new generation synthetic materials.
The choice of the Cfda therefore does not represent an isolated case, but a further essential step in the transformation of an entire industry that looks to a more ethical, more sustainable future that is increasingly distant from animal cruelty.
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