Los Angeles will become the largest U.S. city to ban the manufacturing and sale of fur apparel under impending legislation.
On Tuesday, City Council members voted 12-0 to direct the city attorney to craft a new anti-fur ordinance, following in the footsteps of West Hollywood, San Francisco, and Berkeley.
This is a striking move for the epicenter of Hollywood and West Coast fashion. Los Angeles is home to one of the largest garment districts in the world, not to mention countless pelt-loving celebrities.
Fur industry officials have said they’re being unfairly targeted and that their practices have been wrongly maligned. Supporters of the law say fur-wearing is cruel, unnecessary, and archaic.
Once a draft ordinance is forthcoming, it will have to pass a final vote of the City Council before the mayor signs it into law. It is expected to contain a phase-in clause, allowing businesses until 2020 to sell off existing merchandise.