statement 

Fake Fur

Whatever you think of fake fur, any logic around it has been fuzzied by rival propaganda from two sworn enemies -- the rich and powerful fur industry (predictably down on fake fur), and animal rights groups (generally pro-faux, calling it cruelty-free alternative). The reality? Most fake fur is acrylic, made from crude oil, so you can guess what that entails. Firstly, it's a non-renewable source. It's also energy-intensive -- just think of the journey from raw resource to the luxuriant fluffiness of, umm, acrylic polymers. Plus, it's chemically intensive, often with toxic chemical compounds being washed into rivers. And because it's synthetic, it's not biodegradable. What's more, if it's machine-washable, it will be releasing thousands of microfibres into the waterways and then into the food chain. In a 2014 report by the European Commission, acrylic had the worst environmental impact of nine fibres studies. Perhaps not so cuddly after all.