In Melbourne, Australia, a recent case of fraud involving the faux fur industry has come to light. A consumer purchased a children’s vest from a store labeled “100% Australian sheepskin or wool.” After being sent to a professional testing agency, the fabric was found to contain cat and rabbit fur. This discovery quickly sparked strong reactions among local consumers and has created a new wave of trust issues for the global faux fur industry.
This investigation was launched by Collective Fashion Justice in collaboration with multiple animal protection organizations. The team randomly purchased several garments labeled as sheepskin, wool, or acrylic fiber, and sent them to a professional laboratory for fiber identification. In addition to the vest, two knitted hats labeled “100% acrylic” were found to actually use fox fur and raccoon dog fur. Consumers believed they were buying faux fur products but ended up wearing real fur instead.
The Australian brand involved admitted the label was incorrect but said the manufacturer described it as “special fur” and could not confirm whether it contained cat or rabbit hair. Legally, Australia has banned the import and export of cat and dog fur since 2004, but gaps in enforcement continue to allow such incidents to occur. The lack of transparency among faux fur manufacturers in the supply chain was directly exposed by this case. From raw material sourcing to product labeling, every step can impact consumer trust.
For ordinary consumers, it is difficult to distinguish between real fur and long faux fur by appearance or touch, especially with today’s advanced imitation textile techniques. Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell has called for a total ban on all fur sales, not just certain animal species. She advocates for ethical consumption to avoid putting consumers at moral risk.
This incident has sounded the alarm for the faux fur industry. Brands, manufacturers, and retailers across the supply chain must establish strict raw material traceability systems and adopt open transparency, including third-party professional testing, to rebuild market trust. For consumers, learning basic identification skills and choosing reputable suppliers are key to avoiding the purchase of real fur and supporting sustainable fashion. Wuxi Jiaqi Textiles, with 15 years of expertise in the artificial fur industry, has always committed to ensuring that our products are 100% free of real animal fur. We put animal protection and consumer health as our top priorities.
