Vegetarian Star

Talbots

When a company reverses or ignores a previously established policy, it loses creditability. Talbots, a clothing store specializing in women’s fashions, has been on the Humane Society’s fur-free retailers list for a decade. However, the company recently listed an $89 rabbit fur collar for sale as part of its fall collection.

Word of this got out and the company received a deluge of phone calls, emails and posts on Facebook from unhappy consumers regarding the decision to reinstate fur. As a result, the company has dropped the fur offering and declared itself fur-free again. For now.

“Thank you for your concern.,” a statement from the company read. “Talbots always seeks to operate under the highest ethical standards. We have heard our customers’ concerns regarding the items offered that contained real fur. These items have been pulled from stores and are no longer available for sale. Talbots remains committed to its policy against the use of real fur in our collection.”

However, Talbots has failed to explain why the rabbit fur was for sale to begin with.

According to the Boston Herald, Andrew Page, senior director of the HSUS, thinks the decision was not an accident. When members of the HSUS called to inquire about the change, they were read “scripted responses” (otherwise known as answers that don’t get to the bottom of things) about the change in policy.

“With so many Americans opposed to buying or wearing animal fur, the decision to sell fur can cause many loyal customers to feel betrayed,” Page said. “We are thrilled with Talbots’ decision to remain fur-free. Clearly this was simply a misstep.”

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