The event brings together prominent figures from the animal advocacy movement, including keynote speaker Emma Ha\u030akansson, founder of Collective Fashion Justice\u2014an organisation dedicated to establishing a \u201ctotal ethics fashion system\u201d, Irini Molfessi, Chairman, Hellenic Animal Welfare Federation, economist and author Leonidas Vatikiotis and director\/ producer Rebecca Loviconi, whose film Slay will conclude the evening.<\/p>\n
Eurogroup for Animals<\/strong><\/a> represents over one hundred animal protection organisations across the EU, UK, Switzerland, Serbia, Norway, Iceland and Australia. Since its foundation in 1980, the organisation has succeeded in encouraging the EU to adopt higher legal standards for animal protection. Eurogroup for Animals reflects public opinion through its members and has both the scientific and technical expertise to provide authoritative advice on issues relating to animal protection. Eurogroup for Animals is a founding member of the World Federation for Animals<\/a> which unites the animal protection movement at the global level.<\/p>\n Fur Farming and Ethical Fashion in Europe: The Road Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n In this lecture, Collective Fashion Justice’s founding director Emma H\u00e5kansson will position the current state of the European fur industry within the broader history of humanity’s exploitation of animals for fashion, and how this has changed in practice and perception over time. She will also explore the historical and present fight to end this injustice, and how we might use this information to take greater strides now, towards a total ethics fashion future in which fur is no longer socially or legally acceptable in Europe. The presentation will also outline how this shift could also lead to a just transition beyond the use and killing of other animals for their skins, and more consistent societal anti-speciesism.<\/p>\n The talk will invite the audience to consider their role in ending the fur trade, and end with an exploration of biomimicry solutions and alternative materials that help us move from animal-based fur and materials towards plant- and bio-based materials that benefit us all.<\/p>\n Economic Ethics and the Barbarity of Natural Fur<\/strong><\/p>\n Economist and researcher Leonidas Vatikiotis analyses the economics of the natural fur industry as a distinct sector and activity within the Greek economy. Specifically, he outlines the number of businesses, employees, and total turnover across production, wholesale, and retail trade\u2014tracked over time and by region. He also expands upon the environmental impact of the tanning industry in the Region of Western Macedonia, particularly in Kastoria.<\/p>\n Vatikiotis argues for the necessity of halting this specific economic activity to respect animal rights \u2014noting that animals are used as raw materials for unnecessary production\u2014 and to protect the natural environment. He contends that continued fur farming (mink, foxes, etc.) contravenes “economic ethics,” a concept inherent to Political Economy that mandates respect for the inalienable rights \u2014whether institutionalised or not\u2014 of the natural world.<\/p>\n Finally, he emphasises the need to fully safeguard the social and economic rights of workers and local communities as a prerequisite for implementing the cessation of fur production. The Region of Western Macedonia is already in a steady decline across all indicators of economic and social growth due to the aggressive transition away from lignite (coal). Consequently, the termination of fur production must coincide with a broader economic transformation of the region, ensuring there are no adverse social consequences.<\/p>\n Slay<\/em>\u00a0is a feature-length documentary following investigative filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli Loviconi as she travels across five continents to expose the hidden cost of fashion. What begins as a journey into luxury quickly reveals a disturbing world of greenwashing, deceptive labeling, animal cruelty, and industry cover-ups tied to some of the world\u2019s most powerful brands. Blending the visual sophistication of Vogue with the investigative edge of Vice, SLAY pulls back the curtain on fur, leather, and wool production while spotlighting innovative, ethical alternatives already reshaping the future of fashion. Provocative, stylish, and urgent, the film challenges consumers to reconsider what they wear\u2014and at what cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is the fate of animals in the fashion industry today? What does ethical fashion truly mean, and what is its standing within the Greek, European, and global landscape? How is animal protection legally guaranteed in this field, and how \u2014if at all\u2014 is it institutionalised? 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