Union of Kingston Students to support ban on use of fur in student projects

The Union of Kingston Students (UKS) is set to take a stance and support the ban of fur on student’s projects after a motion was passed to do so at the second Big Student Meeting earlier this month.

There are currently no rules in place to prohibit the use of fur in student projects.

Simon Plazolles-Hayes, the proposer of the motion and business management student, said: “Stopping the use of fur in student projects will not be detrimental to students it encourages more ethical and sustainable products while they continue to receive an excellent education with a strong future.”

In his proposal he detailed that over 100 million animals are killed each year for fur, being killed in a variety of ways including: head bashing, anal and vaginal electrocution, gas chambers and being skinned alive.

Simon said that many of the companies that fashion students have gone on to work for and companies tied to the fashion course such as Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Thomas Pink and Armani are all fur-free.

To a round of applause, Simon said: “As current and future designers, students and leaders we can come together and say that fur has no place at Kingston and it has no place in the world.”

In answer to some questions from the audience, he said: “If we do not ban it, we condone it. It is just that simple.”

Beatrice Carey, Knights Park Officer, said: “As students we have to be familiar with the materials that we might be working with outside of uni.

“If [a student] happens to work for a client that uses fur you have taken the opportunity for this student to learn. You are crippling a student for outside employability prospects.”

Gideon Sasson, a computer science student, asked to hear an example of how another course apart from fashion would use fur.

Simon said that as a business management student there is nothing stopping him from setting up a business as part of a course project that is entirely based on fur.

In 2015, Lush withdrew from sponsoring Kingston’s fashion show over students’ use of fur in their projects.

At the time, Fi Stygall, store manager at Lush Kingston, said: “Lush was very excited to be invited to support Kingston University’s BA fashion design students in their end of year show.

“Unfortunately around four of the 40 students graduating this year are choosing to use fur in their designs.”

No fashion students were in attendance during the discussion and vote on this motion.