According to a recent report from the Humane Society of the United States, that faux fur coat in your closet could actually be made from real fur -- possibly even from man's best friend.
The current Federal Fur Products Labeling Act only requires manufacturers to identify the use of fur when it is valued over $150.
The Humane Society said the law creates a loophole and that one in seven fur coats is not being labeled as such.
"I think that consumers believe that -- when they are buying an article of clothing -- unless it says fur on it, that it is fake fur, but that is not necessarily so," said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco.
The Humane Society of the Unites States found and bought several coats in the Sacramento and San Francisco area that were made from real fur but didn't say so on the label.
According to the Humane Society, the practice tricks shoppers into buying real fur coats often made with fur from dogs and rabbits raised in poor conditions.
On Wednesday, Ma said she will introduce AB 1656, which would require manufacturers to identify whenever fur is used in a garment.
"Some people would be concerned about … animal rights." Ma said. "Whether it is real or fake, some people may have allergic reactions".
"They are being inadvertently mislead; although, there is no law presently being broken when this happen. We need to rectify that," said Senior state director of the Humane Society of the United States Jennifer Fearing. "All we want with this bill is to be able to educate consumers so they can make a decision that aligns with their own values."
Five other states have already passed similar laws.
In California, no one has come forward opposing the bill, but in states where the laws have been passed, retailers expressed concern about how the law would be enforced.
Pierre Gryzbowski, with The Humane Society of the United States, said shoppers who want to know if the fur coat they are considering is real or fake, they should try to separate the fur. Gryzbowski said, most of the time, if the fur is fake you will see stitching. If it is real, you will see skin.
This article originally appeared on KCRA.com
