We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By browsing this site, you agree to our use of cookies.
Furmark® animal welfare and environmental programmes are science-based, third-party certified, and transparent. Furmark® products are traceable, verified, and guaranteed to have met recognised standards.
Furmark® is the new global certification and traceability system for natural fur that guarantees animal welfare and environmental standards.
The certification system ensures that every step of production meets strict, globally-recognised standards.
Furmark® responds to consumer demands for simple, recognisable, and global certification — indicated by a clear mark — and brings together the leading independently-verified certification programmes.
WelFur is a science-based animal welfare assessment programme designed to certify farms for mink, fox, and Finnraccoon (Asiatic raccoon) in Europe. It aims to ensure that best practices are applied to animal welfare in the fur supply chain.
For North American farm-raised fur, the US and Canada run separate programmes to support quality welfare practices and animal husbandry through responsible and sustainable business practices. These programmes utilize the internationally recognized OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) Welfare Standards to make sure that farm-raised species meets the highest possible standards.
Wild Fur programmes are subject to a comprehensive system of laws, regulations, checks, and controls. Each of these factors vary depending on geographical provenance and animal species. The programmes prioritize the sustainability and welfare of all fur-bearing species and ensure that population and environmental sustainability are key to wild fur harvesting.
Swakara is the name of a specific breed of karakul (high-quality lambskin) from South West Africa. A programme has been developed for swakara producers incorporating codes of practice and standards for production and marketing. Auditing and compliance are a key part of this process.
In Russia, a detailed programme has been developed for farm-raised sable in cooperation with the Moscow State Veterinary Academy. Wild sable is regulated under the Ministry of Natural Resources and strict rules and regulations apply to harvesting, animal welfare, sustainability and traceability.
Furmark® certified dressers and dyers are committed to using chemicals from an agreed list, satisfying laboratory verification requirements and government oversight on factories environmental footprint.
Certification programmes and their individual protocols must be science-based and approved by independent experts.
Certification programmes must be verified by third parties and publicly available.
Certification programmes must be sustainable, relevant, accessible, and traceable.
This is a general overview of the natural fur supply chain. Under the Furmark® system, the supply chain is subject to comprehensive, transparent, and independently-verified certification.
Furmark® draws together independently-verified certified programmes under one system: obtaining Furmark® certification means that an international, national, or regional programme has satisfied Furmark®'s global standards.
With the introduction of Furmark®, all of the major auction houses are committed to selling Furmark® certified farm-raised and wild fur pelts.
Ultimately, Furmark® enables retailers, brands, and consumers to have complete assurance and confidence when buying fur – the premier natural, sustainable textile.
Furmark® has been developed by the International Fur Federation (IFF) working with a roundtable of luxury brands that use natural fur. The programme is governed by the board of the IFF that consists of representatives of the fur value chain. The board will decide which certification programmes are eligible to join Furmark®. A steering group will oversee the running of Furmark® and the process of ensuring each certification programme meets its responsibilities.
