MoD Wastes More of Your Money on Bearskin Caps for the King’s Guard

Do you know how much a single bearskin cap worn by the King’s Guard costs the UK taxpayer? According to records recently obtained by PETA, the price of the caps purchased by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has increased by over 30% – each now costs a whopping £2,040. Top faux furrier ECOPEL has offered a luxury faux fur for the caps for free for 10 years and promised that it will always be cheaper than bear fur. The offer has been on the table for the past eight years, during which time over 500 bears were slaughtered, and their fur was made into caps purchased by the MoD.

The MoD has spent over £1 million of taxpayer money on the caps over the past nine years and continues to buy them – 24 were purchased in 2023 alone.

Public Opinion on the King’s Guard’s Caps

A poll by The Times pollster Populus found that 75% of the UK public considers the caps to be a “bad use of Government funds”,  and a YouGov poll showed that 78% of people with an opinion support the switch to faux fur.

The government must heed the wishes of the public, Parliament, and the guards themselves and stop propping up Canada’s cruel bear-hunting industry when it could be obtaining beautiful faux fur for free.

Where Do the Bearskin Caps Come From?

It takes the skin of at least one bear to make a single cap. The MoD bought 526 bearskin hats between 2017 and July 2024 – equating to at least as many slaughtered bears.

Watch this recent PETA video exposé to see hunters baiting bears with buckets of food before shooting them with high-powered crossbows – a form of hunting that has been illegal in the UK since 1981 under wildlife protection laws:

Many bears are shot several times, and some escape only to die slowly from blood loss, gangrene, starvation, or dehydration.

Faux Fur Is Available

Created together with ECOPEL, the luxurious faux bearskin doesn’t harm a hair on an animal’s body and would uphold the traditional aesthetic of the caps in a way that reflects 21^st century values.

This humane fabric gives a nod to tradition while sparing sensitive bears. It meets each of the MoD’s requirements for a faux fur, and in some areas, it outperforms bear fur. It is lighter, dries faster, and is more sustainable.

The image shows a cap made of ECOPEL’s faux bear fur. The company has offered to supply faux fur to the MoD for free for 10 years.

Urge the New Secretary of State for Defence to Switch to Faux Fur

The Labour Party has previously committed to conducting “an immediate review of the possible alternatives to bear fur” if it came into government, stating, “It is incredibly important that traditions develop and adapt if they are to survive.” Join PETA in calling on the party to make good on its promise by sending the defence minister a message now:

Take Action for Bears