Real fur sales breaking records in Britain

LONDON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Sales of real fur in Britain have topped $969 million for the first time in history, marking a surprising 30 percent increase from this time two years ago.

While many in the fashion industry and the public have maintained their stance against the use of real fur, The Independent reported that the opposition apparently is having little effect in the face of such daunting new numbers.

"The continuing use of fur is a real problem in the fashion industry, and there is an issue with people assuming that fur trim is fake when most of it is real," fashion designer Stella McCartney said.

With 1 million tons of real furs being imported into Britain each year and sales increasing for the third year in a row, the British government is looking to curb the practice by banning the import of seal skins.

The Independent said that the issue is not limited to Britain as worldwide sales of real fur have reached nearly $13.5 billion.