Holy globetrotting press release, Batman! Overstock.com has teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States to announce today that it isn’t selling fur anymore. (No — I’m not talking about the dreadful Nicole Kidman movie, although that would be a welcome start.) The Humane Society did a decent job of promoting this move, because I kept bumping into it this morning and I certainly wasn’t shopping for discounted women’s clothing or closeout DVDs. (I swear…)
Here’s the Humane Society’s top pit bull: “By refusing to sell animal fur, Overstock.com is distinguishing itself as a compassionate and socially responsible company.”
Here’s the CEO of Overstock, talking about the fur trade: “I began to understand that it really does treat animals simply as objects. Decorative objects, but objects nonetheless. So I realized we should stop having any part of it.”
Here’s a sampling of what Overstock.com is selling today (links were active as of posting time):
- Marvin Richards Long Cashmere Blend Coat with Fur Collar (contains “Real fox fur from Finland’)
- Dolce & Gabbana Military Style Shearling Jacket (“made of 100-percent lambskin”)
- Aston Double-breasted Women’s Shearling Coat (“100-percent genuine Merino lambskin shearling”)
- The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning (“A Complete Guide to Working With Pelts, Fur, and Leather“)
Before everybody pushes the “shenanigans” button, shearling is a type of fur. (Leather + attached hair = fur), the way I understand it. Whether it comes from a mink, a sheep, or a prairie dog, it’s fur.
Didn’t Overstock think anyone would check? I wonder how much money they paid the Humane Society of the U.S. to stroke their ego and pump up their public profile. Let’s all meet back here in six months and see how many rabbit-trim jackets are back at “The Big O” on clearance. Deal?
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Overstock sells lots and lots of natural fiber products such as leather and wool products and, of course, anything leftover from that production is fed to mink and fox to make fur products whcih they’re just announced they won’t sell. Too bad since it’s all tied together. [spam link deleted --mgmt]
And Overstock is also selling tons of silk products, which the vegans don’t like since they’re also made from animals.
Anyone who wants information on the fur industry should visit our site. Anyone who visits an animal rights site site will simply find promotion of synthetic (petrochemical based) clothing. I hope Overstock doesn’t become an outlet for vegan customers only since the vast majority of us are omnivores who love natural fiber clothing. In the meantime, real natural fiber fur clothing can be found on thousands and thousands of other great websites!
No fur but still leather stuff right?
“I hope Overstock doesn’t become an outlet for vegan customers only”
They won’t. There aren’t enough vegans to support a big retailer. If there were, there would already be a big vegan retailer. I prefer buying all of my vegans from mom and pop type operations anyway. They’re better behaved, not like those kinds you get from a mill.
Anybody want to go through the Humane Society’s list of “fur free” companies and see who else is playing faker-faker?
I don’t have time to do this today, but there’s a free Deceiver.com T-shirt in it for anyone who finds a retailer on that list selling fur garments.
What’s that you say? Deceiver.com T-shirts? Yep. stay tuned ….
Just checked a couple at random, didn’t find fur, but Ann Taylor has 29 leather items, and Charlotte Russe has 181! items. How exactly is using just the animal skin any better than using the whole pelt?
I found one!
lambskin baby
http://www.ralphlauren.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=fur&origkw=fur
They have to keep selling leather items, or the PETA people still won’t buy from them. They do wear and use leather, don’t they, the PETA people??
I want a t-shirt that says PETA–People Eating Tasty Animals
I don’t know if there are retailers in that mix who sell fur (frankly, I don’t recognize most of them to begin with), but I do see a few firms in that group that I know sell exotic skin leather products–like alligator, lizard, snake–as well as shearling, calfskin, kidskin, etc. Cole Haan is just one of these.
Ultimately, most of these retailers would naturally derive little or none of their revenue to fur-related products, so it is a pure publicity stunt to announce that they are “fur free”. CarHartt, for instance, sells work-related durable clothing. What the heck does it mean that they don’t sell fur products? Isn’t that kind of overstating the obvious? I’m sure that Nikon cameras doesn’t sell fur either. Should they be added to the list of fur-free retailers? How about Ping golf equipment? Add them to the fur-less sellers. Geez, the list could be endless: the local hardware store; the corner bakery; the podiatrist around the bloc…none of them sell fur!
So if they still sell leather what is the point of making a big deal about them not selling fur? It’s kind of the same thing isn’t it?
Of course not, as long as you put a label on it to say it is animal free then you are covered.
Hey! I like this! It’s next year’s jingle for McDonald’s.
Bah dah BAH bah BAAAH — I’m fur-free! (Just don’t look under the top bun…)
How can anyone with a brain say cashmere and wool are the same as fur. You don’t kill the godamned sheep or goat. They may not be vegan, but they sure as hell aren’t fur.
No, no, no …. Not wool. Shearling. Wool is a haircut. Shearling is the whole scalp. And the cashmere garment above has real fox fur trim. With real fox skin attached. Which is fine with me, but if you sell it, you shouldn’t cozy up to an animal rights group and claim to be “fur free.”
See what I’m saying?
I’m a Nauga rancher and this anti-fur fad is killing my business. A lot of Ma and Pa ranches have been bought out by “Big Cotton.” Where can a man sell his Nauga Hides??
I owned a Marvin Richards coat like those, with the fur collar. (Thank arpa for the anonymity of the internet, that I may safely confess such things.) Finnish fox, eh? I thought that the trim bore a suspicious resemblance to my *cat* … I feel better that it is not someone’s missing Fluffy or Snowball.
Yeah, so I have a pet and wear fur. My cat’s a biter, so if any Peta-types want to make an issue of it with me, you’ll have to go through him first.
I bought a few things from Overstock a few years ago, mainly of the kitchen-appliance variety. Hey! There’s another place that can claim to be fur-free: Home Depot!
I’m off now to eat some baby carrots. I hope that no one considers that some form of botanic-infanticide.
Well, Overstock.com is Mormon-owned. (Er, sorry, LDS, my bad…) And while I don’t generally hate on other people’s religions, I’ve had to deal with enough Mormies in my line of work that I will make an exception. Although they try to act all nicey-nice and wholesome, they are pragmatic as hell and will do just about anything to get ahead, make a buck, and maybe make a convert if there’s time. I’d love to see Deceiver take on the LDS mafia.
I want one of those Deceiver t-shirts… but only if it’s leather, with a fur lining, and silk thread. And made by one of those Asian kids in a sweatshop.
Chris
Organizations like PETA either become another Amway (now know as Quixtar) or will self implode into a group who drives fur (oops, that’s pleather) covered Cadillacs for Mary Kay as Jim (hey I was on MASH) Bagley busts another Priaus nut over global warming. PETA is not that smart, given the millions they p__ss away to SOCAL numbnuts who’ve never had a day of reality since they reached puberty. Jim Bagley needs to eat his Cream of Wheat and STFU.
In the interim, more Hollywood douche bags procreate children and Jim Carey, wearing an Ann Taylor swimsuit nails a former Playboy model who has an obnoxious wheeze when she laughs.
I think I’ll have my illegal alien Jose water the plants as my illegal Chinese alien Sucky Lousy makes up another batch of her sticky rice.
What will these bottom of the sperm bucket bring us for entertainment on Friday? Deceiver, I challenge you to bring it on.
that mcdonald’s jingle will be stuck in my head all night now overseer LOL and i want a deceiver t shirt! omg!! anyway i do like the humane society because they’re much different than PETA. they’re not so “if you eat meat you’re a piece of crap” type thing. but this makes me think a big old WTF about them. duh people are going to check! overstock.com is not fur free obviously, and all those links still work. it’s not like they took them down when they were “going to be fur free” and yes, a lot of those stores on the fur free list sell leather. leather and fur are still animal skin. so why not just animal skin free? well if it was, a lot of those stores wouldn’t be on that list.
“i’d love to see deceiver take on the LDS mafia..” LOL!
Stay tuned for the T-shirts, coffee mugs, trucker hats, and maybe a thong or two.
Anyone who’s earned free swag, remind me when we launch the storefront. I’m good for it.
Hey EVE! The LDS mafia? Seriously?? This is such an informative site!!
Are the trucker hats really made out of truckers?! If they are man I’m protesting. I’ll even hire some celebrity types to speak out. I’m just that wealthy. Watch yourselves.
If I find out I waited forever for that winter coat with the rabbit fur collar to be back in stock only to learn that they’re “not selling fur anymore” so it’s unavailable, I will choke a bitch.
“I’m off now to eat some baby carrots. I hope that no one considers that some form of botanic-infanticide.”
Hi Heels, I think we should wed. You’ve won my heart.
QuickasaWhip,
Why thanks, luv! If I’m ever available again, you’ll be the first person I call.
HHLL
well im sorrie to burst every1z bubblez but
i think iz cruel wat people are doing
to these poor animals.
i mean yea we need them to eat and crap.
but like seriously wuld u want to wear
somethin that once had a life.
i just feel really bad 4 all
de animals there doing
damage too.and im sorry if im
offending any by saying this but
u know wat this is my opinion.
and i wuld love to kill
all these mofos
who keep on doing thiz to
da animals. and plus u really
don’t need real fur, it’s not
like you wont live. damn
people y f*kin kill
all these buch of animals
knowing u reaaly dnt need the fur.
this should really be elligal.
bitchez need to learn how to
do better stuff. watch i bet next thing
that people are gonna use
is human skin to make carpets and
stuff. shyttt people do
anything to get money in these
days and they make money by
taking an animals life.
hope who ever do is doin this goes to
helll. :’[
none youss, u rly need 2 lurn 2 spell and stuff. Thiz shytt won’t get U respect.
Chronic M – I second that.
On the other hand, one could make the argument that using animals is in fact a bad thing, if it inspires those in opposition to create drivel like that …
HHLL, I was thinking right along those lines too.