The local fur industry dates back to the 1930s, when furriers from China came to Hong Kong and set up shop. Business boomed as furriers targeted the increasingly affluent domestic market, and later on, the tourists. In 1979, the Hong Kong Fur Federation was established and the organisation now has over 150 members. Its annual events, such as the International Fur & Fashion Fair and the glitzy Fur Gala, are well attended.

Today, somewhat ironically, most of Hong Kong’s furriers have moved their factories to China in the face of higher production costs and stricter environmental regulations in Hong Kong. “Mainland fur garment production increased by 41.3 per cent from 2011 to 2016,” reveals Jonathan Huang, a senior representative from China Leather. “The output value nearly doubled from 57.9 billion yuan (US$8.7 billion) to 96.9 billion yuan.”

Oaten, who was in China this summer to discuss reducing the luxury goods tariff, adds: “The anti-corruption issue appears to have slowed down economic growth, and in the last 18 months there has been a slowdown in [fur] sales. But early signs for this season show promise and there could be a return to a strong market.”

Indeed, Hong Kong’s exports of furs amounted to HK$370 million between January and May 2017, up one per cent from last year. Now, if you’re wondering how Hong Kong (not exactly known for its abundance of land) came to be such a fur-producing machine, the answer is that it isn’t. “Most of Hong Kong’s fur exports are re-exports from overseas countries to the Chinese mainland – the world’s biggest fur trade, production and processing base – for the purpose of fur clothing production there,” writes economist Louis Chan for HKTDC Research.

Of course, China doesn’t just import fur, it also farms it. Next to Denmark, China is the biggest producer of farmed fur on the planet.

Hong Kong fur fair facing more protests as Russian financial crisis hits trade

“There are huge welfare concerns about wild-caught animals, but more so for the millions of animals that are armed for their fur,” says Kerenza Vlastou, international projects officer for ACTAsia, the Chinese representative of the Fur Free Alliance. “In the fur farms, they lack the ability to express natural behaviours and methods of killing are almost always inhumane.

“The water and land pollution caused by the chemicals released from fur processing plants is a common and well-known problem in the Chinese fur industry. The problems that the fur industry inevitably cause have severely endangered both the environment and human health.”

Vlastou goes on to cite investigations over the last decade that have found hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde and lead in fur items – including clothes for children. “A pelt’s naturalness dies when it is taken from the animal,” she adds.

And yet, the idea that faux fur is intrinsically more toxic to the planet is one of the most oft-cited arguments for the fur industry. In a recent blog post on wearefur.com, Oaten responded to Gucci’s 10-year culture of purpose sustainability plan by arguing that “banning real fur makes absolutely no sense in terms of sustainability. Petrol-based fake plastic fur is extremely harmful to the environment, isn’t biodegradable and negatively impacts wildlife, thanks to the petroleum and plastics used to produce it.”

It’s true that untreated fur biodegrades naturally within six months to a year, but commercial fur has been chemically treated to prevent it from rotting.

The fur industry also raises concerns over the cheapness of faux fur, rebuking the sweatshop conditions under which some of it is made.

Faux fur, however, can be both luxurious and environmentally friendly. London-based label Shrimps is known for its colourful faux fur offerings, which retail for around HK$5,000. Stella McCartney, that doyenne of eco-fashion, has built her luxury brand on the premise that you don’t need to kill animals for clothes. Nobody could accuse her faux fur of being unethical.

“In the decades following the 1980s campaigns by animal-rights organisations, one could see a change in consumer attitudes towards fur in the fashion industry,” says Vlastou. “However, in recent years, fur has crept back into our clothing and accessories as fur trim and bobbles. With brands such as Gucci, Armani and Hugo Boss becoming fur-free, we hope many more designers and brands will follow and this will change perceptions once and for all.”

To raise public awareness of the issue of fur clothing, ACTAsia holds an annual Fur Free Fashion Show. For spring 2018, the show will once again be held in Shanghai, where guests will be treated to a plant-based gourmet dinner, a catwalk show, and an auction.

With Gucci also throwing a fur-free fashion show next year, it seems the biggest trend for spring will be to go faux or go home.