Have an Old Fur Coat? These Organizations Can Use It to Help Wildlife

Fortunately for the sake of furry animals, fur is so out of style right now. Though the inhumane material used to dominate runways and the luxury fashion world, these days, many fashion designers and department stores have quit using fur, sparing the lives of many foxes, minks, chinchillas, and other animals. That said, is it possible to recycle or donate fur coats?

Whether you used to wear a fur coat in winters past, or if you inherited one with sentimental value from a family member, there are a number of ways you can give a fur a new life, whether it’s by donating, selling, or recycling it — here’s a look into a few options.

Animal protection organization PETA accepts donations of fur coats, and then repurposes them as bedding for baby animals, or gives them to people in need, including refugees and people experiencing homelessness,

In fact, PETA has stated that unhoused people are the "only humans with any excuse to wear fur," and that this may help "highlight the constant decline of the fur industry" — a controversial position, surely.

Still, if you'd like to donate your fur coat to PETA for these uses, you can simply mail your coat to:

Attn.: Fur Campaign

PETA

501 Front St.

Norfolk, VA 23510

The foremost fur coat donation program in the U.S. has long been Coats for Cubs, which accepts donations of anything made with real fur, and then sends the items to wildlife rehabbers, who use the fur as bedding to comfort injured and orphaned animals.

The program has been on hiatus since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, Coats for Cubs encourages people to directly contact one of the two rehabbers that the program usually works with if you want to donate your furs now. They are located in Texas and Virginia, so we recommend contacting the one nearest to you first. Here are their addresses:

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation

335 Old Blanco Rd.

Kendalia, TX 78027

Sacred Friends, Inc.

6412 Natrona Ave.

Norfolk, VA 23509

You can also donate your furs to Cuddle Coats in Minnesota, where they will be used to help orphaned wildlife. You can drop them off or mail them to the following address:

Animal Rights Coalition Office/Ethique Nouveau

317 West 48th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55419

Additionally, the organization Born Free USA has a program called Fur for the Animals, in which you can donate fur coats and accessories to animal sanctuaries and wildlife rehab centers via mail. There is a list of around 20 participating facilities you can donate to on the Born Free USA website.

Alternatively, you can sell your fur coat to Cash For Fur Coats, which upcycles pre-owned furs to help reduce landfill waste, and reduce the demand for more animals to be bred in the fur industry.

Just fill out a submission form on the Cash For Fur Coats website, and if your coat is approved for recycling, you will be sent an address where you can send it. The company will also reimburse your shipping cost up to $50.

If your fur coat is still in wearable condition, you may consider selling it to a local consignment store. However, many of these stores may not be interested in fur coats, so you may do better selling them at a furrier or consignment store that specializes in fur or luxury goods.

One such company to whom you can sell your fur coat directly is Syl-Lee Antique Buyer, based in New York. The company will send a fur coat buyer to your home in either Long Island and Manhattan, and assess your furs for purchasing. You can do a quick google search to find fur buyers near you.

You may also consider selling your fur coats online yourself, via a secondhand fashion website such as Poshmark or Depop, or eBay.

For some people, going vegan or learning about the truth about how cruel the fur industry's factory farms are makes them want to get rid of their fur coats immediately. If you fall into this category, you may consider simply dropping your fur off at a local thrift shop, where the profits will be used for charity, or listing it on your local Buy Nothing Facebook group or Freecycle page for free.

That said, the damage has already been done in creating the fur you have at home, so when it comes to deciding what to do with it, the choice is all yours.

This article, originally published on Aug. 18, 2022, has been updated.