Here's an oxymoron for you: eco-fur. After spending a year overseas, Portlander Chrys Hutchings launched a decor business that she feels helps save a country overpopulated with possums from ecological havoc.
The country is New Zealand and the animal is a brushtail possum, seen by the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society as the "number one threat to [our] native species." According to The Oregonian, the current possum count is around 60 million and, since there are no possum predators in New Zealand, the government manages overpopulation by using aerial drops of sodium fluoroacetate, which kills more slowly and can harm dogs, deer and other wildlife.
In contrast, Hutchings says that buying possum fur creates jobs for rural trappers, and encourages more humane trapping or poisoning with potassium cyanide, shown in studies to kill relatively quickly. But while the possums aren't coming from fur farms, tanning typically includes toxic chemicals, traps can malfunction and animals may suffer.
A visit to Hutchings' web-based business -- Eco-Luxury Fur -- turns up handmade pillows and throws ranging in price from $100 to $2,800. Depending on whether the fur is shorn or unshorn, colors range from chocolate brown to caramel and gray.
As Hutchings says, "I don't have a fur (coat). I have no interest in owning a fur. I would not have done this unless I truly believed in the conservation ideals behind it." But really, is this "All the luxury, none of the guilt," or just a wolf in possum's clothing? And if you already decorate with fur, would you try this version instead?
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Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
still horrible.
fur is dead. no matter how it comes about. i don't agree with it. icky icky. no. just like slapping a deer head on my wall that was killed by a car. "oh, but it was killed by a car, not by a hunter." i don't care! it's still a dead animal carcass. NO.
What a pile of lies.
Trapping animals is NEVER humane. It's not at all unusual for trapped animals to mutilate themselves trying to escape, or to die from exposure. It can only be terrifying for them.
Anyone who passed fourth grade science class knows that animal populations sort themselves out over time. Lack of food or space will eventually decrease the possum population, without human interference.
I very much doubt any furs tanned without chemicals will actually last; they have to be tanned in a certain way to keep them from rotting. (Textiles 101. Trust me on this.)
Humans have done far too much damage to the world's wildlife already. Isn't it about time we just let them live in peace?
BTW, a Ford Motor Company study in the 1930s indicated that manufacturing a faux fur coat uses approximately one-quarter of the energy required to make a trapped fur coat (and 1/30 of the energy wasted on a farmed fur coat). Developments in textile technology since then have probably made fakes even more energy efficient. "Eco" my arse.
I'm actually not opposed to fur in general. I even own a few vintage coats that were my great-grandmother's.
Would I buy new fur? No. Mostly because I own vintage, but also because there are other options and I live in Dallas, where furs never really need to come out.
A question I have always had: how "Eco" is down/feathers? I know people who won't own fur on principle but will only own feather/down bedding.
Regarding this "eco-fur"....yes, I get that she's culling an invasive species. But CERTAINLY there's a better way to process the fur in a way that uses less chemicals and has a smaller footprint. I guarantee that hundreds of years ago the men in Siberia weren't using toxic chemicals to make their fur-lined lifestyles.
Stiletto,
The possums in question are an invasive species; they were introduced to the NZ ecological system and have threatened native wildlife ever since. I assume Hutchings markets these products as 'eco' because she is helping remove an invasive species. Ecosystems do eventually sort themselves out; when it comes to invasive species, that usually spells the destruction of that native environment. Humans are not the only creature capable of causing tremendous harm to other species, and in this case the culling of possums is a net gain for the ecology of NZ as a whole... these possums are not bred for the sole purpose of becoming a coat or throw, but are rather being killed so that native species can thrive.
To add to davidasposted's argument,
There are some highly endangered endemic species in newzealand that have been virtually wiped out by cats, dogs, and opossums (among other introduced species) I study flightless birds, and the most amazing ones live in New Zealand, and the people there are desperately trying to protect them. Such as the Kakapo and Takahe:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakapo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takahe
They have to kill the opossums, there is no other way around it. As stated above, if the government sprays the land with chemicals, than so many animals suffer, so encouraging trapping I think is a good idea. It is brutal and sad, to think about, but it is the lesser of two evils, If the fur us used to support the people in the area, all the better!
The possum population has to be managed to preserve New Zealand's endangered native species. The damage was done when humans introduced the possums in the first place; blame those people for the suffering these animals have to endure. How is starvation and disease a better solution to overpopulation than hunting? It certainly isn't less painful for the animals; it's selfish to put our "guilt" first. Even if the fur products weren't an incentive to population control, I'm more comfortable with using the fur than just killing the possums and disposing of them as worthless dead bodies -- and they have to be killed one way or another. I agree with EmmieB that there has to be a better way to process the fur (though I doubt fur is the most chemical intensive product to be featured on AT?)
Tanning of animal hides for fur, without using "modern chemicals" can be done using the animals brains, and woodsmoke, and lots and lots of hand labor. Just google "brain tan hair on" if you want more information... (It isn't a commercially feasable process)
I have a wonderfully warm and very lightweight knit sweater, made in New Zealand, that I bought at a thrift store, that is 70% possum fur. I knew nothing about the situation in New Zealand when I bought the sweater, I just needed something to keep me warm last winter, but when I read about the "plague of possums", I decided that it was more respectful to make something from the animals that are being killed than to simply discard their bodies as "garbage"
It's simple. The only other alternative is inhumane (it is a horrific death--go to www.stop1080poison.com) and wasteful. Marketing the fur helps the ecology, helps the environment and is the most humane of all options. Plus, it helps the local economy. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But all the synthetics we consume are killing our animals (and planet) slowly and uses petrochemicals and toxic dyes. Synthetics don't biodegrade. These furs are less processed than leather since you don't need the chemicals to remove the hair. It isn't pretty, but think about where your chicken, lamb, beef, eggs, milk, leather car seats, belts, purses, wallets and shoes etc. come from. Love the comment about the goose feather and down. That down doesn't just come off naturally you know. And remember, doing nothing is choosing an inhumane option. Ask anyone from NZ about this.
I don't live in NZ so I don't know but I'll read up on this. However, googling "brain tan hair on" makes me want to vomit.
I'm sure this person's intentions are good and she wants to help these animals from what you all say is a terrible death. Uh, so, skinning them and using them as luxury items is better than poison? Hmmm.....60 million of them....and who brought them there? So we should create jobs for humans based on the death of more animals that never had a say in where they'd live?
Not buying any of it. I am not one to think we all have to do everything there is for the environment. It isn't possible, but we can all do what we can. I can't wear anything other than leather shoes or my feet have a problem. Fact. But I draw the lines where I can. Every wonder what would happen to chickens if you didn't eat them? What purpose do they have? They'd run around multiplying. Do I think we should eat animals? No. My opinion. But I do think we need to eat fewer species and be as humane as possible which we can easily do. Death is death. Do I think anything is wrong with an egg? No. Could I give up beef. Absolutely. And gasoline for veggie oil in my car? Yup. I think we make the best choices we can for our lives and the lives of animals.
Has anyone considered introducing a natural predator? Probably not. Animals eat animals. Nature takes care of itself when we don't screw it up. We screwed it up. Now we have luxury items with a sales pitch....
Interesting conversation.
Necessities are one thing, and when someone comes up with a shoe that is non-leather that I can wear, I will. Until then, not.
Sorry, I forgot this:
There are people in the world who are starving and meat is their only hope. Is anyone eating these brushtail Possum? We eat spiders (well, I don't, but someone does) and rats in some cultures because that's what they have. If these animals were used for food for poverty stricken areas (I doubt they are poisonus) and THEN their fur was used to keep cold climated folks warm then I might be able to handle this, but luxury items from skinned animals? Nope.
This is where the Native Americans had the idea that we never grasped - respect and honor for all things living and the idea of using only what we need, and leaving the rest in tact. Balance in all things. Hey, in some countries, people are starving and cows are running around with bells on their necks, getting the bigger dinner.....where is the line drawn?
This has me upset. A chair throw is $2300. Tell me again how this is about the environmental balance and not about making money.......
Just enjoying the debate, no anger to anyone...
The problem with introducing the natural predator to the possum is that you may introduce a new predator to everything else too. The prime example is the cane toad of Australia, they were brought in to eradicate other introduced species, now that lovely toad is eating well, anything it sees, and breeding like maniacs. There was this great documentary made in the 80's its an amazing film!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_Toads:_An_Unnatural_History
Possums are very small, much like rats, I agree they could be eaten, but it would be hard to get New Zealanders to eat them I suspect. Sending their meat to a place where people who need food is a great idea! but is it economically feasible?
As for the price of these blankets, I should hope they are expensive! If a greater profit is made for them then the trappers will be encouraged to use more humane methods not cheaper poisons) and the trappers will make a decent wage for the work. The tanners need a decent wage, maybe if they are paid well they will look for more environmentally friendly ways to tan?
In all fairness, I just emailed Chrys Hutchings and received an immediate and impressive email. Chrys' explaination and response to my questions was honest and forthright. I'd inquired about the end result of the animal meat and the answer made sense. I'm still not sure about this but Chrys is apparently an ethical business person who knows the business and is passionate about the situation in NZ.
If this topic is of interest to anyone on AT, perhaps someone could interview her. She seems quick aware and dedicated. I will do my own personal research on the situation and shut my mouth in further discussions until I have a complete grasp of this.
As to the toxic chemicals used in tanning leather, consider the toxic waste that comes from turning bamboo into fabric.
Thanks AT, I found this enlightening. And thanks to Chrys for being an honest and serious human.
JacksonMarie, if another predator was introduced to kill the possums, it would be even worse for the native bird population. There are two kinds of fur I'll happily wear: possum and rabbit. Both are endemic introduced pests in New Zealand (gee, British colonials, thanks! Introducing these invasive pests sure was a great idea!) and without culling them, they'd pretty much wipe out our native birds and forests. Not only do possums snack on native birds and forests, they also spread Tb among cattle so they're a major ecological and agricultural threat. Possum fur, apparently, is also really awesome because it has a hollow core, so it's incredibly warm.
Also, just another thought: If it's so terrible to use fur of a pest animal that will be culled no matter what, what are people going to wear instead? Synthetic fibre? You mean, fibre made from a fossil fuel with rapidly decreasing sources, which uses a whole bunch of nasty chemicals to convert into a wearable form, and which won't biodegrade naturally once you're done with it? My, that sure sounds ecological to me.
I just don't buy the idea that "if a greater profit is made for them, then the trappers will be encouraged to use more humane methods." Not among the rural New Zealanders I've known. Plus, trapping is not a good death. It would be kinder to shoot the possums, but then that would ruin the "eco-fur" that people are trying to find a market for. BTW, brushtail possums are not as small as rats, they are cat-sized. I sure would not eat them: the possum-poisons 1080 and Ferretox (encapsulated cyanide) are too widely spread through "clean, green" New Zealand.
There are other ways of dealing with invasive species that would be better IMO. I am against fur mostly because of the fur factories. But I have a leather sofa, and sometimes I do feel guilty about having that much cow skin in my home...
So what happens when the population is thinned or gone completely, and there is still demand? What then? Possum farms just for fur? The price goes up exponentially? When does the "We're doing it for the good of everyone!" meet on the curve of "We're screwing everyone in the a$$??"
There are areas where human beings are overpopulated but no one is skinning them and then acting as if they are doing the world a favor by coining a ridiculous word like "eco-chic." Oh brother...
Okay. So... it's all right for people to have leather, which comes from an animal which takes a huge amount of resources to raise. But it's not OK to skin possums, which are scavengers and very efficient, sometimes living off of people's trash.
Humaneness is an issue, yes. But a natural predator would not kill a possom humanely. And introducing a new predator will probably only wreak more havoc on the ecosystem. It also begs the question of whether humans are natural predators themselves.
And there are arguments both ways for the ecosystem. On one hand, the possum could be devastating to native wildlife. On the other hand, ecosystems change. It would not be natural for them to remain the same forever. It's true that humans have wreaked havoc on the world and that extinctions have increased dramatically wherever we've set foot. But it's disingenuous to pick on the possoms as an invasive species. No one complains about the cattle that were brought to New Zealand and that displace thousands of acres of natural species all over the world. No one complains about wheat, or corn, or lawn grass. Some scientists point out that the idea of an invasive species is political. It's something that's there that we don't want - usually an opportunist that moves in to fill niches cleared by that most invasive of species, humans.
My point in walking in these circles is, I don't have any slick answers. Like JacksonMarie, I think the solution is balance in all things. Unlike JacksonMarie, I don't see a problem with using a resource of which there is such a glut. (And I find it funny that you urked at the idea of brain tanning and then brought up the Native Americans, who used this method.) Yes, I am a bit suspicious of this throw as a luxury item. No, I wouldn't have it in my house. But I don't have a huge problem with it, either.
I would buy this. Not only because the items look amazing, but also because this company is trying to make something good out of a bad situation.
The possums are obviously a very serious problem in NZ, and this is helping the problem. To ask why we are also not "skinning" human beings is taking this to an extreme!
For the people that are asking about the meat...
I have seen brushtail pet food at my local grocery store. So, the meat can be used. I don't know the percentage that is utilized, but it is happening.
eco fur my ass. with a wonderful profit too. death is death. whether trapped or not.
and it's more respectful somehow to USE them if they have to die? so i supposed when your dog dies, you'll have him skinned and draped across your sofa. fabulous idea. all the cats that get put down at the pound would make great slippers for the family!
humans are overpopulated and starving too, but does that mean we trap them and skin them and put them to good use? ohhh.. gasp..the horror. that would be disrespectful and gross, right? so is fur.
respect for all living creatures.
Oh no..... they are so cute....!
See some pics:
http://www.tvwc.org/HTML/building%20a%20nestbox%20for%20brushtail%20possums.htm
http://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/animal-diaries/images/1555one_250.jpg
I read the website last nite - and everything about this makes sense. I'm betting that the naysayers here haven't.
I'm considering purchasing a couple of the pillows myself - and I have no more problems with the ethics/humanity than I have with eating a steak, carrying a leather briefcase, walking on a sheepskin rug or enjoying a lobster springroll.
Sorry I said they are the size of a rat, but in my defense, i've seen some pretty big rats in my day...
I'm really glad to hear that they are being eaten in New Zealand too! It makes a lot of sense to use the whole animal.
I've heard arguments over invasive species being a part of nature, and it should be let to run its course, but New Zealand is a unique ecosystem that you will not see anywhere else. The top natural predator there is a bird! the only mammals native to the place are bats. It would be so sad if this was let go and everything unique about the this place disappears. I would also completely agree if they decided to get rid of the cattle, sheep, dogs and cats there too, but I doubt this would ever happen.
If these possums were not so cute, would you have a problem with trapping them? What if they were a big ugly frog, or a spider, or a giant leech?
I think this makes a lot of sense. Personally, I don't really like the look of fur myself, but if you like the look and can afford it, this is a good, environmentally responsible option. From an ecosystem POV, trapping is a much better option than poisoning, which does a lot of damage to other species. Yes, the possum suffers, but I feel that this illustrates the difference between a scientifically backed view of protecting the environment and a more emotional one.
That70sHeidi brings up a good point that if the overpopulation is brought under control, demand might still be there. In this case, the quickly moving nature of trends might be helpful. Or, the market could move on other other overpopulation problems. Surely this isn't just happening in New Zealand.
As I said in my last post, I made contact directly with Chrys Hutchings and now, after several emails with her I must retract anything I said earlier. This will teach me to acquire all the information on a subject before I offer an opinion.
She is extremely centered, well-intended, and has more knowledge of the NZ situation than most of us would imagine.
I would encourage anyone with questions, people who want the truth about the NZ possum situation, to contact Chrys through her website.
I don't think any of us likes to kill animals but realistically, issues always have two sides and consequences regardless of the side you choose.
Nessenako and Whytephoenix: Thank you both for your input. You have excellent points. I stand corrected. I would seriously rather have the truth about this issue that be an idiot. Further, I think this is the very sort of issue that will create serious conversation about the environment instead of fantaticism. So many people want to be "green" without a true understanding of what that means.
So I commend Chrys Hutchings for her knowledge and, while I don't want fur on my bed, I really thing this is something important to think about.
And....read this.....this is the inhumane method to kill the possums....
http://www.stop1080poison.com/
and then its in the other animals, and the ground....and on and on and on......
I read the website. It's some truth mixed with a not insubstantial amount of horse crap and marketing spin. I live in New Zealand. I have never heard them called paihamu here, it made me laugh. I guess it's harder to charge $2,800 for a possum blanket -- it probably would be impossible to do if your potential customers saw the species as roadkill.
I've lived in New Zealand. The website is clear that it is also called Australian Brushtail Possum. Paihamu is the Maori word for it and is starting to be used in the industry because Americans have a hard time distinguishing its possum from the Australian Brushtail Possum--a completely different species with different looks and different fur and leather qualities.
The prices are comparable to what is charged in New Zealand. As I am sure Pukeko understands, NZ pays first world labor rates and these are collected from the wild, not from a farm. Also, this supports rural industry. Fake fur is cheaper, but it also uses petrochemicals, toxic dyes, is throw-away fashion and never biodegrades. Honest purveyors of fake fur do not even tout it as eco-friendly--because it is not.
Science editors, government officials, industry experts and stewards of the land have reviewed the site's content and have found it accurrate. The Wall Street Journal, Oregonian and Independent (UK) did their own research and found the facts true. Watch www.thegrafboys.com to watch a quick video about the only other alternative currently being used by the government.
This is a great conversation. If one does not like leather, one will not like this. But if one uses leather, the best source of leather (or fur--fewer chemicals used if you do not have to remove the hair or hide) is an animal that requires abatement.
I wonder how many of those who are up in arms about the "inhumanity" in killing these animals for their fur have a pair of leather shoes or belt in their closets? I think there is a great deal of hypocrisy out there; and I also believe that the knee jerk anit-fur reaction to these particular pelts is misguided.
It is uncontroverted that the brushtail possums are a tremendous problem in New Zealand. They feed on native plants as well as the chicks and eggs of several native birds. I also understand that they spread some diseases, such as bovine TB. And their populations continue to grow and grow into the tens of millions because they do not have natural predators to keep their numbers in control.
There seems to be no reasonable dispute that something needs to be done to reduce their numbers (i.e., that they need to be killed). So, if their pelts (and meat -- as the Addiction brand of dog and cat food uses brushtail meat) can be used, why not?
I have seen some of the products made from these furs and they are simply beautiful. The fur is very elegant and not what most people would imagine coming from a possum.
Never in a million years!
As a long-time environmentalist with strong feelings against hunting and animal exploitation, my immediate reaction was in line with chartreuse and animalhouze. However, after reading all of the above, accessing the eco-luxury fur website and educating myself like JacksonMarie, I must concede that this situation is truly different.
This isn't about whether or not it is wrong to kill an animal, it is about WHICH animal MUST die, based on circumstances beyond any of our control. The imported possum directly threatens native animals, and choosing between the two is easy: Native creatures must be given priority over animals that were imported by man. The incredible increase in the possum population coupled with the NZ government's commitment to poisoning with 1080 make the course clear: Humane killing of the pest is (unfortunately) a far preferable solution.
Ms. Hutchings initiative is a partial solution to a runaway problem and I applaud her courage and thoughtful approach to a divisive issue. It took a lot to convince me to make an exception to my no-kill rule, but the case for doing so here is overwhelming.