Exotic skin has always been an icon of sophistication and glamour. The widespread use of the material may have overpowered the sacrifice animals have to make; it is sure to make one’s skin crawl when they get into the depth of how the material is obtained. All over the world, the lives of different reptiles are wrongfully ended in the cold name of fashion.
Stunning creatures like snakes have been tagged with a negative impression since the beginning of time. We fear them the most, yet we believe that their skins deserve to adorn us. The popularity of exotic skins may never cool down but their race is reaching its limit.
Belonging to the same family, crocodiles and alligators also become victims of fashion. The young ones are crammed into grimy tanks while adults reside in concrete slabs with partially sunken pools. Britain’s reptile specialist and biologist, Clifford Warwick warns that such imprisonment develops physical damage, inability to walk or swim, and emotional damage to the animals. A bystander might conclude their condition is normal but specialists can easily detect stress. These ferocious beings tend to live up to sixty years but the farmed ones meet the end before turning two.
The reptile skins undergo two stages before being shipped to fashion labels:
Stage 1: Separating the skin from the owner
Deep in the dark jungles of Southeast Asia, thousands of snakes are regularly killed by various torturous methods. The common factor between cold-blooded animals is that their naturally slow metabolism enables them to feel and sense pain after bearing all the torments for days until their last breath is taken away by dehydration or nervous shock. It takes around four crocodiles to produce a single bag.
Stage 2: Tanning
Tanning is quite a profitable business and Centro Rettili in Italy is one of the biggest names in the market. Established in 1985, over 50,000 snakes and 3000 crocodile skins are tanned into desirable materials for top high-end designers.
IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM
With growing demands and no proper protection, the ecosystem and endangered species are receiving tremendous threats due to the ongoing reptile skin business.
Fashion industries defend themselves by claiming that the animals are either from a strict quota harvest or a certified farm. Unfortunately, there is always a loophole in any system. Reticulated Pythons, well recognized for their extraordinary length, developmental span and striking patterns are now under the threat of extinction. To prevent this, CITES, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, came up with a strict quota system.
However, the credibility of this system is doubted. Tagged as too generous, Dr Warwick believes the black market is more active than the legal one. He stated that in some Southeast Asian countries, CITES certificates are easily forged due to lack of inspection which can explain the escalating rarity of larger specimens. Countless lives are ended prior reproductive stage, which is adding pressure on its race.
The expensive and restricted legal procedures force people to resort to poachers. Buying a farmed snakeskin will cost more, as snake farms are rare because of their long developmental period and captivity cost. Thus, common mislabelling challenges the authenticity of the
source. With billions pouring in, who would not want to be tempted to join this fool proof bandwagon?
RAY OF HOPE
Onlookers have slowly started to step in and take action to stop this horrendous trade. Unspoken cruelty forced the Swiss Parliament and EU to ban Indonesian and Malaysian python imports alike in 2012. Hefty fines and punishments are to be imposed to effectively abolish this trade. Along with this, Non-CITES certified businesses should also be labelled as illegal. Last year, fashion brand Gucci decided to set up a tracing system that will keep track of the skins from “marsh to market.” The system will immediately detect illegal skins on the run.
With so many available alternatives nowadays, there is simply no excuse to continue killing reptiles for their skin. There are several clothing outlets that have decided to use and support faux skin materials.
You can still look amazing without killing animals. Synthetic materials are much cheaper than real snakeskin; so stylish faux alternatives will take a load off your conscience and your wallet. Just a little compromise and pledge of standing against the killing of animals for fashion can make sure that the only skin that you are in is your own.
Printed in Petigree Magazine April / May 2014 issue