Nordstrom to stop selling fur and exotic animal skins by the end of 2021

Humane Society hopes move will have a ripple effect on other fashion leaders

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Nordstrom has announced that it will stop selling products made of real fur and exotic animal skins by the end of 2021.

The new policy, which has made in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, is companywide and includes Nordstrom Rack and Last Chance stores, as well as Nordstrom’s e-commerce sites.

Teri Bariquit, chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom, said that the luxury department store made the decision after listening to feedback from its customers.

“Our private-label brands haven’t used these materials for years, so extending this policy to all the brands we carry is a natural next step for our business,” she said.

Under Nordstrom's new policy, it will continue to carry products that are derived from cows and calves, sheep and lambs, pigs, goats and water buffalo.

However, it will not carry exotic animal skin products that are derived from lizards, snakes, pythons, alligators, crocodiles, ostriches, sharks, kangaroos and stingrays.

According to Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, Nordstrom is now the first US-based retailer to ban the sale of exotic-animal skins.

“This is a pivotal step toward a more humane business model and a safer world for animals, sending a clear message that animals should not suffer for the sake of fashion,” she said in a statement.

“Nordstrom’s decision will surely have a ripple effect on other influential fashion leaders.”

Nordstrom currently sells products from brands that will be impacted by the new policies and the company is “encouraging those brand partners to re-evaluate their use of fur and exotic animal skins,” a spokesperson for the retailer said.

“Many of our other brand partners have already made this update,” the spokesperson added. “Extending this policy to all the brands we carry is a natural next step for our business.”

Many fashion brands, including Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Victoria Beckham have all made similar pledges in recent year.

In 2018, British luxury fashion brand Burberry said it would stop using real fur in its products, and last year, Prada confirmed it was removing the use of animal fur in its designs or new products.

High street stores are also taking note, with the likes of Zara, Gap and H&M all banning the use of real fur in 2016.

You can find a list of all the fashion brands and retailers that have banned fur in recent years here.