Stories
UK Lawmakers Push to Replace Iconic Bearskin Caps with Faux Fur
- •A cross-party group of 18 MPs and one Lord urged the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to stop procuring real Canadian black bear pelts for the King's Guard caps and switch to synthetic alternatives.
- •The appeal gained momentum after a sharp increase in bearskin cap procurement, with orders quadrupling from 22 in 2024 to 96 in 2025, and costs rising to over £2,000 per cap.
- •Lawmakers argue that using taxpayer funds for slaughtered wildlife is a misuse of resources, especially when cruelty-free alternatives exist, and that the practice contradicts the government's animal welfare commitments.
- •Animal rights groups challenge the MoD's claim that pelts are by-products of legal culls, stating that the UK's multi-million-pound purchasing program incentivizes commercial fur hunting, often involving inhumane practices.
- •Despite a free offer of high-performance synthetic fur from ECOPEL, which independent tests showed met or exceeded natural fur performance, the MoD has repeatedly refused, citing internal test failures, though a spokesperson confirmed commitment to replacement if criteria are met.
Key Questions Answered
A coalition of 18 MPs and a member of the House of Lords is calling for an immediate halt to purchasing real Canadian black bear pelts, citing animal welfare concerns, rising procurement costs, and an unexpected fourfold surge in cap orders.
The tradition dates back to June 18, 1815, at the Battle of Waterloo, where the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards defeated Napoleon's Imperial Guard. Napoleon's troops wore towering bearskin caps to look more imposing, and the Prince Regent granted the British unit the right to wear them as a battle honour.
Defence procurement officials maintain that alternative materials must pass five mandatory performance tests covering water absorption, waterproofing, appearance, drying rate, and shape retention. While independent tests showed synthetic fur met these criteria, internal military evaluations found that the synthetic samples failed up to four of the tests.
