Polo stops use of fur

Fashion house Polo Ralph Lauren announced on Thursday that it is removing fur from its apparel and home collections, beginning with the holiday 2006 season. In a press release, the New York based company said that fur had been used "on a limited basis as an accent in some collections." "We are publicly announcing this decision because the use of fur has been under review internally and we feel that the time is right to take this action," it said.

Polo's decision is the first of its kind made by a major fashion house since Calvin Klein did so in the mid-1990s. This is a major coup for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which was in negotiations with the company since March. Polo Ralph Lauren has decided to donate 1,200 new units of women's wear containing fur to charitable organisations. The company would not say how much the cancelled orders would cost it.