Walking around campus this time of year requires ex-cessive bundling up. Not only do you have to put on two pairs of pants, four shirts, a sweat-shirt, and a coat, but you can’t forget those fur-lined boots, or that sweater with the fur-lined hood. There seems to be fur-lined clothes everywhere. But how much do we really know about the fur clothing we wear? “We know enough not to wear them,” sophomore Corey Michaels said on the subject. However, he seems to be in the minority. Most of those against wear-ing fur clothing seem to say so because of an aversion to its fashion statement, rather than for it’s implications on the treatment of animals. In the words of Phil Zuckerman, a freshman, “I’m not a woman, and I’m not a pimp, so I don’t wear fur.” Other students have no problem wearing fur, whether it’s real or fake. All that seems to matter in the bitter winter months is whether or not fur keeps you warm. When asked if students knew the processes of mak-ing their clothing, most had no idea. Despite the efforts of groups such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the less glamorous aspects of attaining real fur are not well known. Those who wear real fur and know some-thing about the process of ren-dering fur said they don’t have much of an issue with it. “I see why it could be a big deal, but it’s not to me,” one student said. Others agreed. “It doesn’t bother me. [But] if I saw my Uggs being made, I don’t think I’d like them,” said student Lisa Rosenberg as she stared down at her feet. “It’s what people want. They don’t care if they are made with fur. I don’t think people even know.” Surprisingly, unless they were wearing Uggs, many of those with fur clothing didn’t know if it was real or not. Due to the quality of synthetic fur, most people can’t even tell the difference unless the informa-tion is printed somewhere on the label. “People don’t know if it’s real or not, they don’t give a shit,” a freshman student said. With the information just a Google click away, one begins to wonder why people aren’t more knowledgeable about our own clothes. Ian Kovack, upon being asked if the fur on his coat was real, just shrugged. “Igno-rance is bliss,” he said. Most students surveyed said that they would only wear certain kinds of animal fur. A stigma associated with fox and mink furs perpetuates, but sheep (shearling), rabbit, and possum fur are still fair game. “I think I would [care] a little bit if it’s a cute animal,” fresh-man Dana Shimko said. It’s survival of the fittest out there. As the temperature continues to drop lower and lower, the need for warmth can only increase. The main concern isn’t the method of attainment anymore. Whether wearing fur is justifiable or not, when it comes to warmth, real fur just works.
