A landmark policy positions American fashion at the forefront of ethics, innovation, and industry-wide change
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has announced a pivotal shift for New York Fashion Week, declaring that beginning with the September 2026 season, animal fur will no longer be permitted in collections shown on the Official NYFW Schedule. Revealed in collaboration with Humane World for Animals and Collective Fashion Justice, the policy reinforces the organization’s role not only as steward of the Fashion Calendar but as a cultural leader shaping the values of American fashion. While fur has already become scarce on the runways, the CFDA formalizes its stance with a framework designed to guide designers toward forward-thinking, humane alternatives.
As outlined in the announcement, the ban applies to farmed or trapped fur from animals killed specifically for their pelts — including mink, fox, rabbit, karakul lamb, chinchilla, coyote, and raccoon dog. Only fur obtained by Indigenous communities through traditional subsistence hunting practices will be exempt. Recognizing the transition’s impact on creative and production processes, the CFDA will support designers with educational resources and a material library, encouraging exploration of next-generation textiles. “There is already little to no fur shown at NYFW, but by taking this position, the CFDA hopes to inspire American designers to think more deeply about the fashion industry’s impact on animals. Consumers are moving away from products associated with animal cruelty, and we want to position American fashion as a leader on those fronts, while also driving material innovation,” said Steven Kolb, CEO and president of the CFDA.
The decision aligns New York with fashion weeks across London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Melbourne, as well as major media houses that have moved away from publishing or advertising fur. Industry partners have publicly welcomed the announcement: “The CFDA has further cemented its position as a leading, innovative fashion council on the global stage by formally moving beyond unethical and unsustainable animal fur,” said Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice, while PJ Smith of Humane World for Animals added, “We applaud the CFDA for using its unique influence on American fashion to help usher in a fur-free future.” With this move, New York Fashion Week signals a new era — one in which creativity is not compromised but expanded through the possibilities of ethical material innovation.
