Stop Bear Slaughter: PETA Unveils Faux-Fur Queen’s Guard Cap

PETA and luxury faux furrier ECOPEL have revealed the world’s first faux bear fur that is indistinguishable from the real bearskins used to make the Queen’s Guard’s caps.

ECOPEL – which makes faux fur for top designers – donated its time and expertise and built custom machinery to produce the material.

The humane, high-performing faux fur created by ECOPEL gives a nod to tradition while preventing sensitive bears from being viciously slaughtered for their fur.

The Cruelty-Free Doppelganger of the Queen’s Guard Cap

The faux bear fur not only matches the exact length of real fur but is also 100% waterproof – as confirmed by a Ministry of Defence (MoD) copyrighted test, commissioned by PETA and conducted at the MoD’s accredited laboratory.

There really is no telling the two apart, and there’s no reason the MoD shouldn’t switch to the new animal-friendly equivalent.

The Fur of Bears Slaughtered in Canada Is Used to Make the Current Caps

In Canada, bears hunted for their fur are often shot but not killed immediately. Some bears are shot several times before they die, and some escape only to die slowly from blood loss or starvation.

When mother bears are killed, their orphaned cubs are left to starve or be killed by predators.

Taxpayers’ Money Is Funding Cruelty

Last year, each cap cost an astounding £1,305. More than £1 million worth of UK taxpayers’ money has been spent on these cruelly produced caps in the past seven years, despite the fact that they serve no military purpose.

ECOPEL has offered to provide the MoD with faux bear fur free of charge until 2030.

The Eco-Friendly Option

ECOPEL’s faux fur is more eco-friendly than real fur, which must be treated with toxic chemicals to prevent it from decomposing – in this case, on the guards’ heads. It is also produced in closed-loop factories, which means all water and chemicals used in the production of the faux fur are recycled. ECOPEL is also open to producing a bear-fur version of its KOBA fabric – the world’s first bio-based faux fur.

Faux Fur Is Favoured

Celebrities who have called on the MoD to replace the bearskin caps with humane faux fur include Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, Stella McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley, and the late Sir Roger Moore.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also supported the initiative, saying synthetic fur caps should be used if they would “help save a few bears”. Now, he’s in a position to make it happen.

It’s Time for the MoD to Change

Over the years, the MoD has replaced leopard and beaver fur with faux fur. Nearly 20 years after the UK banned fur farming, and with a post-Brexit ban on the importation of fur anticipated, a tried-and-tested alternative to bear fur is now ready to be rolled out.

PETA is urging the prime minister to make good on his word by instructing the MoD to switch to the new faux fur for all future caps.

Take Action

Join us by taking these two simple steps to help stop the slaughter of bears for the Queen’s Guard’s caps:

STEP 1: Take to social media.

Please tweet at the prime minister and the MoD and comment on the MoD’s Instagram and Facebook .

Struggling with writer’s block? Try something like this:

Hey @BorisJohnson, @PETAUK has provided the MOD with a faux bear fur that is suitable for use on the Queen’s Guards caps. Help stop the senseless slaughter of bears & quick march the new faux bearskin into service. #MoDGoFurFree

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