Cruelty or beauty? It's all in the eye of the beholder

The answer to a long dispute over levels of pollution from making real fur garments or from manufacturing imitation furs is expected early this year, it was announced at the recently held 36th China Fur and Leather Products Fair in Beijing.

In 2008, the International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF) commissioned an independent Canadian team to research the environmental impact from the entire lifecycle of a mink coat.

"We are keen to find out how much impact on the environment a fur coat does make, from the farm to the consumer," said Andreas Lenhart, IFTF chairman.