Fur labeling act comes into law

A new law that requires all fur-trimmed fashions sold in the US to be labeled with the type of animal and the country of origin, regardless of the value of the fur, came into effect on Friday, March 18.

The Truth in Fur Labeling Act closes a loophole in federal law that currently allows some animal fur garments to go unlabelled if the value of the fur is $150 or less and leaves shoppers in the dark as to whether they are buying faux or animal fur.

Past investigations by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have found jackets trimmed with animal fur including that from domestic dogs, wolves or raccoon dogs being sold across the country without labels or falsely advertised as faux fur .

Congressman Jim Moran, who championed the bill, said: Many Americans choose not to purchase fur products, preferring instead faux fur as a substitute.

Consumers with allergies or ethical objections to fur, or those who may have concerns about the use of certain species for fur production, will now be protected from deceptive advertising and able to make educated purchasing decisions.

Garments purchased by retailers before March 18 will not be subjected to enforcement for one year in an attempt to give retailers time to comply with the law s labeling requirements without unduly disrupting current inventory.

All garments purchased by retailers after this date will be immediately subject to the new labeling requirements.