It's having a moment with celebrities, fashionistas and Gen Z. But wearing any kind of fur, from vintage to synthetic, poses some difficult questions. Could a new plant-based faux fur be the way forward?

From Tory Burch in New York and Simone Rocha in London, to Fendi in Milan and Miu Miu in Paris, fur dominated the autumn/winter 2025-26 catwalks. And celebrities matched the runways, with Hailey Bieber, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Taylor Swift and Rihanna all spending the start of the year wrapped up in faux and vintage fur coats.

The last time fur hit the headlines was in 2017, when Gucci pledged to go fur-free, influencing a host of designer brands to follow suit. The move was welcomed by animal rights campaigners, but what followed was the scaling of a new problem: much of the real fur has been replaced by synthetic alternatives that are derived from fossil fuels. Given the tensions around animal welfare and the environment, why is fur now firmly back in fashion?

It began in early 2024 with the arrival of the mob wife aesthetic, an ostentatious, glamorous response to the understated, minimalist trend that preceded it: stealth wealth. "Reviving historical looks for contemporary wear is a natural part of the fashion cycle. It's escapism, and who doesn't want some of that?" says Natascha Radclyffe-Thomas, associate professor, MBA fashion business and entrepreneurship, at Ravensbourne University, London. "I was in the room when [former CEO] Marco Bizzarri announced Gucci would no longer use animal fur in its collections, and remember what an amazing shift this was for an Italian luxury brand where fur was such a prevalent material. But the topic of faux fur is such a tricky one, too."

Radclyffe-Thomas adds that, since designer labels' decision to ban real fur from their collections, the faux-fur market has evolved from the early days of "fun" fur – low cost, often in bright colours that didn't attempt to imitate the real thing – to a new level of quality where most consumers wouldn't know the difference between real and fake.

The production of fossil fuel-based fabrics continues to rise globally, with polyester the most common, accounting for 57% of all fibre production. Even clothing made from recycled polyester is problematic because the model isn't circular. The vast majority is made using plastic bottles – not old textiles – which means that it can't be recycled again, and will most likely end up in landfill at some point.

One way to keep faux fur out of landfill – or delay its final destination – is to keep it in circulation. At fashion rental company By Rotation, the rental of faux fur and wool coats has been increasing since even before the recent catwalk shows. London label Charlotte Simone – whose faux fur coats have been worn by Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Madonna – is the third most rented brand across coats and jackets. "Higher quality, well-made faux fur, especially from designer brands, tends to last longer, meaning it's more........

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