Ann Taylor and LOFT Discontinue Use of Exotic Skin

ANN INC., the parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT clothing and accessories, has banned the use of exotic animal skins in its product lines. The company’s newly revised animal welfare policy now asserts its animal-safe stance on skins, saying, “Our private label brands do not use real animal fur and do not knowingly sell products with skins considered to be exotic, including but not limited to alligator, crocodile, and ostrich.” Multiple retailers have recently committed to ditching animal skins: athletic clothing company Puma is working on developing non-leather alternatives; Australian department stores recently banned fur nationwide; and fashion guru Tim Gunn strongly asserts in his latest book that “fur belongs in the dustbin of history.”