An animal rights organization is calling on Vancouver luxury retailer Kit and Ace to stop selling one of its winter hats over concerns the pompom comes from canine fur.
A listing for the $98 Berkeley toque says the pompom is made from “Asiatic raccoon fur,” but the Vancouver Humane Society says it isn’t a raccoon at all – but a member of the canidae family that includes domestic dogs and coyotes.
“We think Kit and Ace is putting out misleading information by saying this animal is a raccoon. All of the scientific evidence we can find shows that it’s a member of the canine family,” spokesperson Peter Fricker told CTV Vancouver.
The controversy originated from an investigation by the National Observer, which examined the company’s fur labelling and its internal handling of customer inquiries about it.
The accusation that the retailer, which is run by the wife and son of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, could be using canine fur caused an online backlash.
Commenters took to Twitter and the company’s Facebook page to express horror and disgust and, in some cases, announce that they will boycott its products.
“I will never buy anything from Kit and Ace again,” Michelle Plant wrote.
Fricker believes that the company purposefully labelled the product as Asiatic raccoon to distance itself from the emotional connection people have to pets.
“This is being done because people have an affinity for dogs – so we think the fur industry avoids calling the raccoon dog a dog,” Fricker said.
Kit and Ace said in a Facebook message it is investigating the issue, but did not provide a timeline or details.
“Kit and Ace is in complete compliance with Canadian textile labeling laws and have conducted the required due diligence around the use of all materials,” the retailer said in an email to CTV News.
“We choose our selected materials and ensure accuracy of documentation. Contrary to recent accusations, Asiatic raccoon (Nyctereutes Procyonoides) does not belong to the same species as the domestic dog (Canis Familiaris). The use of Asiatic raccoon as a material is indicated on all appropriate Kit and Ace customer care labels.”
With many types of synthetic and “faux” fur available, Vancouver’s Humane Society would like the Vancouver retailer to “apologize for the misunderstanding” and pull the product from its line.
“In some ways it’s irrelevant because people shouldn’t be buying fur,” Fricker said. “To the animal it doesn’t make any difference – they’re going to be suffering and dying for the sake of fashion.”
