Who are you?

We are Facts About Fur, a dedicated project by Respect for Animals, a UK-based organisation campaigning for a fur-free future. Our team includes researchers, campaigners, and policy experts who work to uncover and communicate the truth about the fur trade using reliable data, official records, and independent research.

What is your mission?

Our mission is to provide accurate, accessible, and evidence-based information about the global fur industry, including its impacts on animals, people, and the environment.
By highlighting facts, we aim to empower public understanding, support campaigners, and influence change at every level, from consumer choices to international trade.

How are you funded?

Facts About Fur is funded entirely through donations from individuals and groups who support our work. We are proud to be independent and not-for-profit. Our parent organisation, Respect for Animals, is a registered UK organisation. Every contribution helps us continue our investigations, maintain open-access resources, and campaign for lasting change.

DONATE HERE.

Can I reuse or republish your data and charts?

Yes — as long as proper credit is given. All original data visualizations, charts, and summaries produced by Facts About Fur are free to reuse for non-commercial, educational, or advocacy purposes, provided you include attribution.

If you are a journalist, academic, or campaigner, you are welcome to incorporate our material into reports, presentations, and websites. Please avoid altering the data in a misleading way or removing context.

How should I cite Facts About Fur?

Please cite us as:

Facts About Fur (www.factsaboutfur.org)

For specific charts, reports, or articles, we recommend including the page title and date of access. For example:

Facts About Fur. “UK Brief” Accessed June 2025. www.factsaboutfur.org/uk-brief

If you're citing our material in print or academic work and need further citation formats, feel free to contact us.

Trade Data

What sources are used for trade data?

Trade data is primarily sourced from the International Trade Centre’s Trade Map, which uses data obtained from UN Comtrade, the world’s largest database of trade statistics maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division. If UN Comtrade data is not available, Trade Map uses national trade statistics where available. In cases where countries do not report trade statistics, data is reconstructed on the basis of trade statistics reported by partner countries, known as mirror data.

In some circumstances, Facts About Fur uses trade data obtained directly from national trade statistics. This is the case with the United Kingdom where data has been sourced from HM Revenue & Customs, which provides detailed and current trade statistics.

What units of measurement are used for trade data?

Trade data is typically measured in USD value to the nearest thousand dollars. Exceptions may apply to certain country studies such as the United Kingdom, where values are expressed in GBP to the nearest pound. Occasionally, quantities in kilograms of weight may be included in the analysis but since some countries do not always report quantities, this is only included where accurate national statistics are available and where quantities may provide additional analytical insights.

Why are there differences between import and export figures?

Export data rarely lines up precisely with import data of partner countries. Discrepancies can be explained by a number of factors, including differences in reporting standards and data quality between countries; goods being recorded in different categories by the exporter and the importer; and incompleteness of country data due to non-reporting or omissions. In cases where discrepancies are notable, Facts About Fur uses mirror data of partner countries to reconstruct a more accurate dataset. This is the case with trade data for Russia, where available statistics are incomplete.

When is trade data updated?

Trade data is updated regularly as and when annual datasets become available. It should be noted that data may be subject to revision or correction due to countries sometimes submitting provisional figures. For example, the UK HM Revenue & Customs reports data that is provisional for up to 18 months after it is published. This is because businesses may not have reported their data on time; goods may have been wrongly classified; or goods may have been incorrectly or provisionally valued. Facts About Fur periodically reviews trade data for accuracy and updates.