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Overstock.com, Inc. is an online retailer offering high-quality,brand-name merchandise at discount prices. The company offers 100,000 productson their website -- including apparel, designer accessories, bed-and-bathgoods and sporting goods -- in addition to nearly 700,000 media products forsale. Overstock.com also operates a socially responsible goods department,Worldstock.
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Patrick M. Byrne, chairman and chief executive officer of Overstock.comsaid, "The Humane Society of the United States brought to our attention itsissues about the fur industry. They did so in a thoughtful, measured way. Welistened, and decided that they are right. So we are going fur-free."
"We are delighted to have such a powerhouse in the online retail industryjoin the list of retailers and designers who reject the cruel practices of thefur industry," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society ofthe United States. "By refusing to sell animal fur, Overstock.com isdistinguishing itself as a compassionate and socially responsible company. Thecompany has set a standard for others in the industry to follow."
The Humane Society of the United States urges all designers and retailersto adopt fur-free policies to protect the more than 75 million animalsworldwide who suffer and die annually for their pelts. Only by refusing tosell any animal fur products can these merchandisers protect themselves andtheir customers from the false advertising and labeling that currently plaguesthe industry.
Over the last three winters, The HSUS has identified dozens offalsely-advertised or falsely-labeled garments -- 70 percent of whichcontained fur from the raccoon dog, an Asian member of the dog family that hasbeen documented to be skinned alive in China. Among the false names used forraccoon dog fur are: Faux fur, Ecological fur, Polyester, Coyote, Rabbit,Canis Latranis, Raccoon and Finni Raccoon.
The list of 100 fur-free designers and retailers is online athumanesociety.org/furfreeshopping, and more information on The HSUSinvestigations is at humanesociety.org/furfree/.
To see an interview with Byrne on Overstock.com going Fur Free, pleasevisit hsus.org/furfree/news/overstockcoms_ceo.html.
Timeline:
-- Feb. 2008 - BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP pledges to go fur-free after discussionwith The HSUS.
-- May 2007 - Foot Locker pledges to go fur-free after discussions withThe HSUS.
-- March 2007 - Tommy Hilfiger pledges to go fur-free because of The HSUSinvestigation.
-- Feb. 2007 - Calvin Klein pledges to go fur-free because of The HSUSinvestigation.
-- Dec. 2006 - Tests commissioned by HSUS investigators find raccoon dogfur on jackets advertised as "faux" and/or labeled as other species, such asraccoon or coyote.
Overstock.com, Inc. is an online retailer offering brand-name merchandiseat discount prices. The company offers its customers an opportunity to shopfor bargains conveniently, while offering its suppliers an alternativeinventory distribution channel. Overstock.com, headquartered in Salt LakeCity, is a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ Global Market Systemand can be found online at overstock.com.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animalprotection organization -- backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has
