2022 ACTAsia Compassion in Fashion Forum – Building a Sustainable Fur Free Future Together

On Thursday 26th May, ACTAsia celebrated a truly outstanding achievement by holding its 8th International Fur Free and Sustainable Festival. This remarkable event was held with the invaluable support of John Lau, Dean of Academic Strategy, London College of Fashion. This year’s theme was ‘Compassion in Fashion: Building a Sustainable Fur Free Future Together’. The forum focused on many of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Esteemed speakers from China, the biggest importer/exporter of fur in the world, and the international industry attended the event to discuss how to work together for a fur free, especially given the abhorrent cruelty of fur farming. The speakers also addressed sustainable industrial future in the fields of design, material development and application of fashion and we were treated to the insights from experts in the media and academia.

Highlights of the Festival?

Whilst primarily aimed at professionals in the fashion industry, the event allowed for an updated report on ‘China’s Fur Trade and its Position in the Global Fur Industry’ providing valuable insight into the evolving status of the global and Chinese markets and in particular Chinese consumer trends.

In addition, this event provided a truly valuable opportunity to truly appreciate international fashion brands pledging to be fur free and hear what the Chinese fashion industry thinks about fur Are we too being too hopeful that the effects of COVID-19 will see a real decline in fur farming, even in China?

This year’s Festival also became much more than just being about fur free, with dynamic discussions on animal welfare, environmental protection, climate change, the recycling economy and world health. As a result, ACTAsia has been given renewed confidence to hold this forum every year and to make the world free of fur farming!

The important messages from ACTAsia’s Compassion in Fashion Forum in 2022

We must stop the fur trade and at the same time combat the potential increase in global warming. Fur Free is just 1 step towards harmonising nature and human beings. We simply must put less burden on our earth and sustainable fashion is now viable and one of ways forward.

Our distinguished panellists

Zhao Wanping, Deputy to the National People’s Congress and China’s “Animal Welfare Public Promotion Ambassador” Opening speech

Xiong Yutong, Deputy Secretary General of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and representative at the 11th RCEP 4C Meeting. A note on sustainability.

Rachel Cernansky, Senior Sustainability Editor, Vogue Business. A media perspective on the future of sustainability in fashion

Yang Yingying, a dynamic and distinguished contemporary artist, and founder of the TUYUE Project, Director of the Guangdong Fashion Designers Association and 2020 recipient of the Guangdong Top Ten Designer Award. The journey towards sustainability from a designer perspective.

Yuxi Lei, Founder & CEO of NanoxArch® – A visionary leader of China’s first social innovation company specializing in the field of sustainable materials design.  Sustainable material design for sustainable business development.

ACTAsia’s Fur Industry Report

We were also delighted to receive an important update for 2020 and 2021 by Dr. Yuan-Chih Lung, ACTAsia’s Lead Fur Industry Researcher

Dr. Lung noted how the COVID-19 outbreak had severely affected human health with outbreaks in mink farms in 12 countries. Nevertheless, it appears that China will still be able to sustain substantial domestic fur production and meet its domestic market. However, there was some good news as international brands are gathering momentum to go fur free. Dr. Lung also believes that ‘With the pandemic the Chinese people are getting a better understanding of the harmful effects of the fur industry’.

Dr. Yuan-Chih Lung, Lead Fur Industry Researcher at ACTAsia. An update to the China Fur Trade 2019 report.

Q&A Session

John Lau Dean of Academic Strategy, London College of Fashion. Q&A

With so many distinguished panellists, it was inevitable that we would have an engaging and lively Q&A session led by John Lau, Dean of Academic Strategy, London College of Fashion. All the panellists confirmed the need for empathy towards people, animals and the environment and the importance of making compassionate choices in life.

The session concluded with the firm belief that China can profoundly impact in the way how the world consumes fashion and be the leader in developing new and sustainable materials and most importantly fur free.

 “Fur free is not just a dream” – it is not far away anymore! Watch the event here.