The Italian fashion company Gucci has announced that they will no longer be using animal fur in their products - effective starting with its spring-summer 2018 collection. Furthermore, all of their remaining fur products will be sold at a charity auction to benefit the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and LAV, the Italian animal protection organization. Marco Bizzarri, Gucci’s President and CEO, said: “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals. With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is excited to take this next step and hopes it will help inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the luxury fashion industry for the better.”

The announcement is part of Gucci’s new partnership with the Fur Free Alliance - a group of 40 companies and designers that have given up fur products, including Armani, Hugo Boss, Net-a-Porter, and Stella McCartney. Simone Pavesi, the manager of animal-free fashion for LAV, said: “Respect for animals is becoming more entrenched in people’s values and the great names of fashion are gradually implementing social responsibility policies to reflect that. As fashion becomes more and more ethical, supply chains that revolve around animals will be a thing of the past.”