Poland Bans Fur Farming in a Major Blow to the Global Fur Trade

Poland just delivered the fur trade its most decisive blow yet.

On Tuesday, Polish president Karol Nawrocki signed the Animal Protection Act, approving an eight-year phase-out of the country’s fur farms.

The official ban on “breeding and raising animals for fur for commercial purposes (except rabbits)” in Poland, the world’s second-biggest and Europe’s largest fur supplier, is a historic turning point as it hits an industry already in steep decline.

Worldwide fur exports have fallen from a peak of $14.7 billion in 2013 to about $3.4 billion in 2023, driven by shrinking consumer demand and mounting scrutiny over animal welfare. In Poland alone, mink fur exports, which its known for, collapsed from €402 million ($466 million) in 2015 to just €71 million in 2024, according to animal advocacy Anima International.

Although a handful of luxury houses continue to use animal fur, declining sales have underscored fur’s diminished role in the modern luxury mix. Major luxury players including Gucci, Burberry, Prada, Chanel and Moncler have made fur-free commitments in recent years, while fashion weeks in London, Copenhagen and Amsterdam have banned fur from their runways. Earlier this fall, Condé Nast officially announced a fur ban across its editorial and advertising platforms after sustained activism, while Elle went fur-free in 2021.

Under the new legislation, no new fur farms will be allowed to open in Poland, while existing fur farms will have eight years to wind down and stop operations, with breeders receiving degressive compensation till 2029 and farmers subject to severance pay for the first 12 months of the new act coming into place.

Poland’s exit compounds a wider European retreat from fur farming. More than 20 countries including France, the Netherlands, Romania, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic have enacted bans or severe restrictions, eroding the region’s role as a global production hub.

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Cultural shifts, geopolitical upheaval and health scares have shrunk the value of global fur exports from a peak of $14.7 billion in 2013 to just $3.4 billion last year.