Fur Industry Now Calling Itself 'Green,' but Hype Doesn't Hold Up

Did you know that fur is green? I hadn't heard it either, but then I visited the Fur Council of Canada's "Fur is Green" website and was set straight. "Like leather, suede and shearling, fur is a natural product, a true gift of nature," it says. "At a time when we are all trying to be conscious of how our lifestyles affect nature, fur is an excellent choice."

First-time visitors might think they've happened across a parody site (Canada is where they club baby seals to death for their fur, after all), and they'd be at least partly right. I talked to Alan Herscovici, executive vice president of the Fur Council, and he explained, "We've learned from animal rights groups like PETA. Are we being a bit provocative in the way we say it? Of course. But people are talking about green living, so we thought they'd be interested to hear what we had to say."