Burberry gives up fur, stops destroying unused products

Burberry was burned when it was recently revealed it was torching millions of dollars in unsold goods to prevent the “wrong people” from ending up with them.

And for years, the London-based retailer came under fire for using fur in its fashions.

Now, it’s trying to win back discerning customers with a pledge cut out both.

“Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible,” Marco Gobbetti, Burberry’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement Thursday. “This belief is core to us at Burberry and key to our long-term success. We are committed to applying the same creativity to all parts of Burberry as we do to our products.”

Today, we have confirmed that we will no longer use fur. There will be no real fur in Riccardo Tisci’s debut collection for Burberry later this month, and we will phase out existing real fur products. Read more at https://t.co/z637rlaBCH pic.twitter.com/uWSIWeLmZY

— Burberry Corporate (@BurberryCorp) September 6, 2018

The designer known for its signature plaid came under fire earlier this summer.

Aaron layers an oversized duffle coat, check flannel shirt and scarf from the second #GoshaRubchinskiyXBurberry drop, a limited-edition capsule celebrating our outerwear icons and the Burberry check https://t.co/3HlGWse5ft pic.twitter.com/av0AUhUHms

— Burberry (@Burberry) July 19, 2018

That’s when it was revealed the company had burned some 90 million pounds of products in the past five years, according to The Times worth an estimated $37-million annually as reported in the Sun UK.

The designer said that practice — destroying unsaleable products — ends immediately.

Instead, it will get a handle on waste and find ways to reuse, recycle or donate its items.

Animals lovers also applauded Burberry’s announcement.

“There will be no real fur in Riccardo Tisci’s debut collection for Burberry later this month, and we will phase out existing real fur products,” the company added.

Riccardo Tisci, our Chief Creative Officer, wearing @Burberry at the 2018 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Benefit in New York #MetGala #MetHeavenlyBodies pic.twitter.com/XZnIfkWHbv

— Burberry (@Burberry) May 8, 2018

BREAKING VICTORY! 👏 After over a decade of campaigning by PETA around the world, @Burberry is banning fur and angora.

Burberry’s decision is a sign of the times – no animal deserves to be caged and electrocuted or bludgeoned to death for their fur. https://t.co/pl3AlRIEEm pic.twitter.com/yCzEDHbnvK

— PETA (@peta) September 6, 2018

“Cartwheels are happening at PETA HQ following the announcement that iconic British brand Burberry is joining Armani, Versace, Gucci, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, and others in banning fur from all its collections – and that it’s ditching angora, too,” the animal rights organization said in a statement.