Wearing animal fur has long been a way for humans to keep warm in the winter. But nowadays, when there are so many alternatives at our fingertips and discussions about animal welfare are starting to enter the mainstream, the need for fur might have become outdated. 

But what about vintage and secondhand fur? Should that be seen the same way as a brand new mink coat? According to artist Alexandra Yvette, the two are not the same. Below, you’ll find a TikTok that Alexandra recently shared detailing how she was denied entry to a bar because of her coat, as well as some of the responses viewers have shared online.

Wearing fur has become a controversial choice in recent decades

Image credits: Markus Spiske (not the actual photo)

But vegan artist Alexandra Yvette was shocked to find out she couldn’t even enter a popular NYC bar while wearing vintage fur

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

“I got kicked out of a bar in New York for wearing fur. And I feel like I didn’t get the memo that wearing fur in New York is, I guess, really offensive.”

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

“It was vintage, it was a mink coat from the 30s. So it was very old. And I do feel okay with wearing vintage fur. I know some people don’t agree with that. But personally, it’s never bothered me. I would never buy a fur coat new.”

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

“But anyways, I walked up to this bar. It was like a speakeasy. And the man was like, ‘Is your coat real?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, it’s real. It’s really old. It‘s from the 30s.’ And he was like, ‘That doesn’t matter. Fur is not allowed here. You need to leave.’”

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

“And I thought he was joking. So I kind of just looked at him and I was like, ‘Really?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, please go.’ It was such an intense moment. I almost wanted to cry because it just felt like such a weird rejection. And then I was questioning my morals.”

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

Image credits: preraphaelitequeen

You can hear Alexandra’s full story right here

@preraphaelitequeen #vintagefur ♬ original sound – Alexandra Yvette

The fur industry is undeniably cruel to animals

While a soft fur coat might be your ideal choice to keep warm in during the winter, it’s important to know where that piece of clothing came from and what sacrifices had to be made to create it. According to PETA, about 100 million animals are killed each year for their fur, and prior to being skinned, these creatures are kept in terrible conditions. They live in cramped, filthy cages before being killed through some of the cheapest and most cruel methods available, such as suffocation, electrocution, gas and poison.

Today, over half of the fur in the United States comes from China, where millions of dogs and cats are skinned alive for their fur, PETA reports. This fur is often intentionally mislabeled as well, meaning that there’s no way of truly knowing what animal you’re wearing in the winter.

Because of how brutal the fur industry is, activists have been taking a stand against fur for decades. You may have seen people get red paint thrown on their real fur coats, particularly during the 1990s, and apparently a handful of NYC establishments have banned patrons from entering if they’re wearing real fur.

Image credits: Clem Onojeghuo (not the actual photo)

Several bars and restaurants in NYC have banned customers from wearing real fur

The Back Room, which viewers have guessed was the bar Alexandra was visiting, states, “The Back Room does not allow real fur” on their site. Vegan restaurant Spicy Moon has a similar message on their door: “We prefer that you not wear fur. If you’re wearing animal’s fur, we still warmly welcome you to our establishment but we hope you’ll open your heart to animals and go fur-free.”

While the fur industry is undeniably cruel, as with anything else in the world, this topic requires nuance. Yes, it is better to avoid buying fur than to purchase a new mink coat. But what about leather, suede and wool? Those industries are cruel to animals as well, yet most people don’t seem to have a problem with them, the same way most people don’t have an issue with eating meat. Cognitive dissonance is prevalent in how many people say that feel about animals versus which industries they choose to support. 

And shouldn’t we consider secondhand goods to be in a different category than products bought brand new? Our world is producing 92 million tons of textile waste each year, The Round Up reports. Yet still, between 80-100 billion new clothing items are produced around the globe annually. Shopping secondhand whenever possible is much better for the environment. While some might argue that wearing a fur coat from the 30s is still driving up demand because others might see it and try to purchase a similar look, Alexandra did not contribute to creating clothing waste by purchasing it.

Image credits: Jakayla Toney(not the actual photo)

Secondhand or vintage fur is more sustainable than clothing items purchased brand new

Personally, I’ve been vegan for 7 years, and I will still occasionally buy leather or wool items from a thrift store, as I know they’re high quality and are a better choice than buying something brand new. No, I don’t love the idea of wearing animal products, but I still have pairs of shoes that I bought before going vegan that have leather on them as well. It’s understandable why Alexandra might not have had a problem with vintage fur, while also saying that she would never buy a new fur coat.

Whether or not it’s acceptable to wear secondhand animal products is a gray area for vegans. Some choose to avoid them all, while others would rather choose something that was created decades ago than create more demand in the current fashion industry. But as far as whether or not we can tell others what is acceptable to wear, I’m not sure that’s our business.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing a similar topic, look no fur-ther than right here! 

Image credits: Adrià Jiménez (not the actual photo)

Some viewers found the bar’s policy unreasonable

Some even had similar stories of their own to share

But others questioned how Alexandra could wear fur while claiming to be vegan

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