Countries That Have Banned Fur Farming

At SpiritHoods, faux fur isn’t a trend we jumped on – it’s who we’ve been from the very beginning.

Since launching in 2009, SpiritHoods has grown from an emerging creative brand into a globally loved outerwear label known for bold design, expressive style, and uncompromising compassion for animals. Early on, SpiritHoods pieces found their way into creative communities, art spaces, and iconic cultural moments – including Burning Man – where self-expression, individuality, and conscious living naturally intersected.

Today, SpiritHoods is proud to be a PETA-recognized faux fur brand and a three-time winner of the PETA Libby Award, honoring our ongoing commitment to cruelty-free fashion. From our Women’s Faux Fur Collection to our Men’s Faux Fur Collection, every piece is designed to make a statement – not just about personal style, but about the kind of world we want to live in.

That’s why moments like this matter.

Around the world, countries are officially stepping away from fur farming, choosing compassion, innovation, and progress over outdated practices. The fashion industry is listening. Consumers are leading. And the momentum is undeniable.

The most recent – and most powerful – example comes from Poland, whose decision to ban fur farming represents a major turning point for animals, ethical fashion, and the future of outerwear. This isn’t about shaming the past. It’s about celebrating progress – and understanding how far the fur-free movement has come, and where it’s headed next.

In December 2025, Poland made history by passing legislation that will phase out all fur farming over the next eight years – a decision that sent ripples through the global fashion and animal welfare communities.

What makes Poland’s ban especially significant is scale. For decades, Poland wasn’t a marginal player in the fur trade – it was Europe’s largest fur producer and the world’s second-largest supplier, particularly known for mink fur. Entire international supply chains relied on Polish farms, making the country a cornerstone of global fur production.

Under Poland’s updated Animal Protection Act:

• No new fur farms may open

• Existing farms must fully shut down within eight years

• Commercial breeding and raising of animals for fur is banned (with limited exceptions)

• Farmers receive phased compensation and transition support

Rather than acting abruptly, the legislation was designed as a structured transition – one that prioritizes animal welfare while acknowledging the economic realities for workers. This approach reflects a broader shift in how governments are handling ethical reform: deliberate, humane, and forward-looking.

From an animal welfare perspective, the impact is immense. Millions of animals will be spared lives spent in confinement. From a fashion perspective, Poland’s decision removes one of the last large-scale pillars supporting the European fur supply.

Importantly, this ban did not happen in isolation. It followed years of advocacy, public demonstrations, investigative reporting, and growing consumer awareness around fur farming practices. As scrutiny increased and demand declined, lawmakers responded.

When a country as deeply embedded in the fur industry as Poland chooses to exit, it sends a clear message: the future of fashion no longer depends on animal pelts. For brands, designers, and consumers committed to cruelty-free fashion, this moment feels less like an ending – and more like a turning point.

Poland’s decision is part of a much larger story – one that has been unfolding quietly but steadily across the global fashion landscape for more than a decade.

At its peak in 2013, the global fur trade was valued at approximately $14.7 billion. By 2023, that figure had fallen to around $3.4 billion, reflecting a dramatic contraction driven by multiple forces working together: declining consumer demand, increased transparency around sourcing, mounting animal welfare concerns, and rapid innovation in alternative materials.

What’s important to understand is that this decline is not isolated to a single region or market. It’s happening globally, across luxury, ready-to-wear, and mass fashion alike.

Modern consumers – particularly younger generations – want to know more than just how a garment looks. They want to know where it comes from, how it’s made, who it impacts, and whether it aligns with their values. As investigative reporting and advocacy shed light on fur farming practices, many consumers began questioning whether real fur still belonged in contemporary fashion. Increasingly, the answer has been no.

At the same time, advances in textile technology fundamentally changed the equation. Today’s high-quality faux fur delivers the warmth, texture, movement, and visual depth once associated with animal fur – without requiring animal suffering. As cruelty-free alternatives improved, the justification for real fur weakened.

The result has been an industry in steady retreat:

• Global exports shrinking year over year

• Real fur appearing in fewer luxury collections

• Retailers distancing themselves from animal pelts

• Growing reputational and financial risk for brands that continue to use fur

Once framed as a symbol of exclusivity, fur is now increasingly viewed as out of step with modern definitions of luxury – which prioritize intention, innovation, and responsibility.

For fashion brands rooted in creativity and long-term relevance, this shift feels less like loss and more like freedom: freedom to design boldly, ethically, and in alignment with the values shaping fashion’s future.

From Industry Decline to Policy Change: Why Governments Are Stepping In

As public sentiment shifted, governments began to respond. What started as consumer choice gradually became policy. Lawmakers across Europe and beyond recognized that fur farming raised ethical, environmental, and public health concerns that extended well beyond fashion alone.

Investigations into farm conditions, scientific research on animal welfare, and sustained advocacy from citizens and organizations helped bring fur farming into public focus. In many countries, public opinion polls showed declining support for the industry – particularly as cruelty-free alternatives became widely available.

Rather than waiting for the fur industry to collapse on its own, many governments chose a proactive approach: phasing out fur farming through legislation that protects animals while allowing time for economic transition. This often included compensation programs, closure timelines, and restrictions on new farms opening.

Over the past two decades, this approach has steadily reshaped the global landscape. Countries that once served as production hubs have exited the industry entirely, while others have imposed regulations so strict that fur farming is no longer economically viable.

Taken together, these policy decisions point to a clear conclusion: fur-free fashion is no longer a fringe movement – it’s a global direction supported by law, industry, and consumers alike.

Across Europe and beyond, governments are increasingly stepping away from fur farming. While the legal paths differ – from immediate bans to gradual phase-outs and strict regulatory pressure – the direction is consistent: fur farming is being removed from the modern fashion supply chain.

Below is a clear, up-to-date breakdown of where countries currently stand, organized by status, so readers can easily understand the global landscape.

Countries With Full National Fur Farming Bans

These countries have enacted complete, nationwide bans, meaning fur farming is no longer legally permitted anywhere within their borders.

• United Kingdom – First country in the world to ban fur farming nationwide (2000)

• Austria – Early adopter of a full national ban

• Czech Republic – Ban enacted with no remaining commercial fur farms

• Croatia – Fur farming fully prohibited nationwide

• Belgium – Nationwide ban completed after a structured phase-out

• Netherlands – Full ban finalized after a multi-year transition

• Slovenia – Fur farming prohibited by national law

• Bosnia and Herzegovina – National ban enacted through animal protection legislation

• Serbia – Fur farming banned nationwide

• Slovakia – Complete ban in place

• North Macedonia – Fur farming prohibited under national law

What this means: In these countries, fur farming is no longer recognized as an acceptable commercial or agricultural activity.

Countries Where Fur Farming Has Been Phased Out or Effectively Ended

These countries implemented formal phase-outs, compensation-based closures, or strict welfare laws that have eliminated or rendered fur farming economically nonviable.

• Norway – National ban completed following a legislated phase-out

• France – Fur farming banned, with final farm closures completed in 2024

• Italy – Fur farming ended following a structured phase-out

• Ireland – Industry closed through a compensation-based ban

• Hungary – Fur farming banned through animal welfare legislation

• Germany – Fur farming effectively ended due to stringent welfare regulations

What this means: While the legal frameworks vary, commercial fur farming no longer operates in practice in these countries.

Countries Where Fur Farming Is Legislatively Restricted or Functionally Ending

These countries have passed significant restrictions, closures, or legal limits that sharply reduce fur farming and place them firmly on a transition path.

• Estonia – Fur farming heavily restricted; repeated legislative efforts have reduced viability

• Lithuania – Active legislative measures and closures have placed the industry in decline

What this means: Fur farming still exists in limited form but is widely considered unsustainable long-term.

Countries Actively Considering Fur Farming Bans

Several remaining fur-producing countries are currently debating bans, reviewing legislation, or facing strong public and political pressure to end fur farming at the national level.

• Denmark – Once the world’s largest mink producer; farming was largely halted after mass closures and remains under intense political and public scrutiny

• Finland – One of Europe’s last major fur producers; citizen initiatives and EU-level pressure continue to push the issue forward

• Sweden – Strict welfare regulations have already reduced farming, with further bans under discussion

• Latvia – Parliamentary proposals reflect shifting public attitudes and regional pressure

What this means: These countries are widely viewed as the next potential adopters of fur-free legislation.

Why This Global Shift Matters

Taken together, more than 20 countries have now banned, phased out, or effectively eliminated fur farming – fundamentally reshaping what was once a major global supply chain.

This matters because:

• National bans permanently remove animals from the fur trade

• Phase-outs allow humane transitions while ending production

• Restrictions send clear long-term policy signals

• Designers and fashion brands gain confidence investing in cruelty-free alternatives

For the fashion industry, this isn’t fragmentation – it’s alignment.

And for consumers choosing compassionate, expressive outerwear, it confirms something many already feel: faux fur isn’t the future. It’s the present.

What These Fur Bans Mean for Fashion

Each country that goes fur free removes thousands – sometimes millions – of animals from the supply chain every year. But beyond the numbers, these bans reshape fashion itself.

They:

• Reduce reliance on animal-based materials

• Encourage innovation in cruelty-free textiles

• Reflect changing consumer values

• Signal long-term industry direction

For fashion brands that prioritize creativity, ethics, and longevity, these legislative shifts reinforce what many already know: the future of luxury is faux.

Not because it’s trendy – but because it’s better.

Why This Matters to Us (and to You)

For SpiritHoods, seeing countries formally commit to ending fur farming feels deeply affirming. Choosing faux fur has always been about protecting animals while celebrating bold, expressive style – long before it became mainstream.

As more nations go fur free, compassionate fashion becomes easier to choose, easier to support, and easier to celebrate.

And for anyone learning about this movement for the first time, we hope this list serves as a helpful resource – a reminder that meaningful change is already happening, one country at a time.

The global shift away from fur farming isn't about pointing fingers - it's about moving forward. 

Each country that bans or phases out fur farming represents progress: fewer animals harmed, fewer outdated systems upheld, and more space for innovation, creativity, and compassion to thrive. What was once considered “luxury” is being redefined – not by scarcity or suffering, but by intention.

At SpiritHoods, we’ve believed in this future since day one. From our beginnings at Burning Man in 2009 to becoming a PETA-recognized faux fur brand and three-time PETA Libby Award winner, our mission has stayed the same: create bold, expressive outerwear that celebrates individuality and protects animals.

As more countries join the fur-free movement, choosing cruelty-free fashion becomes easier – and more meaningful. Whether you’re drawn to statement coats, cozy robes, or everyday layers, every faux fur piece is a small vote for a kinder fashion industry.

Because true luxury doesn’t come at someone else’s expense – and the future of fashion looks a whole lot warmer without fur.

Last updated: December 2025

This article reflects the most current publicly available legislation on fur farming bans and phase-outs.