Jai Jinendra!

As Jains are concerned with minimizing harm to all living beings, the following information may be a useful guideline for those purchasing clothing with fur labeled as synthetic. If you feel it is appropriate, please distribute this information to your Jain Center community.

Due to non-existent labeling laws in China, fur trimmed items exported to the west may be labeled as fake ("faux"), but in reality are real and in many cases dog or cat fur. The import of dog and cat fur is banned in the USA. Recently the Humane Society of the United states filed a law suit against six retailers who were found selling deceptively labeled garments containing the banned fur..

http://www.hsus.org/furfree/news/lawsuit_retailers_designers_fur_labels_112408.html

If you are concerned about an item you have purchased, which is labeled 'fake' fur, the following is a guide on how to identify the real thing:

http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/fur/field-guide-on-real-vs-fake-fur-final.pdf

 The flip side of the fur industry is dog meat consumption, which because of superstition abuses the animals prior to slaughter in order to render the meat more potent. This industry takes the lives of 16 million dogs a year in official slaughter houses and an untold number as dogs are routinely killed in private homes and in restaurants throughout China:

 http://www.onevoice-ear.org/english/

Thank you for considering this issue.

Respectfully,