Is Anyone Ensuring That Your Mink Lashes Are Cruelty-Free?

This article takes a high-level perspective of the regulation of the fur farming industry in Canada, with a specific focus on the predominant fur-bearing species raised on fur farms in Canada: minks and foxes.¹

Canada's robust fur trade saw over 2.3 million minks and foxes bred on fur farms in 2017,² generating approximately $800 million dollars.³ As of 2017, there were over 200 mink and fox fur farms across Canada, which produced over 2 million pelts.⁴ Even now, there is a trend towards the use of mink fur in eyelash extensions. However, despite the size of the industry, the legislative framework is surprisingly inconsistent and often under-regulated. For example, the labelling of fur items is not a requirement in Canada. This means that products may contain fur without indication, and items advertised as "faux" fur may contain real fur.