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Poland has approved a ban on fur farming
The world’s second-largest producer has taken a historic decision. However, farms will have until 2034 to shut down.
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On 2 December, President Nawrocki signed the law banning fur farming in the country.
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In Europe, fur farming will remain legal in only five countries: Finland, Denmark, Spain, Hungary, and Greece.
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The ban will help curb the spread of zoonotic diseases and reduce CO₂ emissions
Poland is putting an end to fur farming. On 2 December, President Karol Nawrocki officially signed a law banning the farming of animals for fur in the country. In a statement published on X, the president justified his decision by noting that more than two-thirds of Poles, including those living in rural areas, support the ban.
The Polish Parliament had already approved the ban in mid-October, but the president’s signature on 2 December marked the final step. The 200 fur farms currently operating in the country will have time until January 2034 to close. Farmers who choose to shut down their operations by 2029 will be eligible for financial compensation.Although fur production in Poland began relatively recently—around the mid-20th century—the country has become Europe’s largest producer and the second-largest in the world after China, with more than 3 million animals killed every year, including mink, foxes, raccoon dogs, and chinchillas.
Poland becomes the 18th European country to ban fur farming
“A historic moment for animal protection in Poland,” said Humane World for Animals Europe, as Poland joins the 17 other European countries that have already banned fur farming. This leaves only five European nations—Finland, Denmark, Spain, Hungary, and Greece—where the practice is still allowed.
The announcement also reflects the global decline in fur exports, which—according to animal welfare organisation Anima International—fell from $14.7 billion in 2013 to around $3.4 billion in 2023. This drop is due to shrinking consumer demand and, above all, growing awareness of animal welfare issues. In Poland alone, over the nine-year period from 2015 to 2024, mink fur exports collapsed by more than 80 per cent, despite having once been a defining feature of the country’s fur industry.
A victory for the environment and public health
The end of fur farming brings two major benefits: a reduction in zoonotic disease transmission and a significant cut in CO₂ emissions. In recent years, millions of mink and other animals have been culled in 13 countries across Europe and North America for public health reasons.
As for environmental impact, 1 kilogram of mink fur generates emissions 31 times higher than cotton, 26 times higher than acrylic, and 25 times higher than polyester. The same applies to raccoon dog and fox fur, whose climate impact is 23 times greater than cotton and 18 times greater than polyester.
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