Renewed calls for the British Ministry of Defense to stop using bear fur in King's Guard hats

The animal rights organization renewed its call to end the use of natural bear fur in the famous hats worn by the King’s Guard, and to replace it with artificial fur.

The signatories of a letter to Minister of State for Defense Luke Pollard said that the continued use of Canadian bear fur “cannot be justified” and does not meet contemporary ethical standards, calling for the suspension of any new orders until a suitable industrial alternative is developed.

Data obtained by PETA under Freedom of Information laws show that the British Ministry of Defense purchased 22 hats in 2024, before the number rose to 96 hats in 2025. The organization says that the Ministry purchased 526 hats between 2017 and July 2024, which means, according to its estimate, that at least the same number of Canadian black bears were killed, as each hat requires the skin of at least one bear.

The Ministry of Defense said that it supports replacing natural fur with a synthetic alternative, but stressed that any proposed model must pass five tests related to water absorption and permeation, appearance, speed of drying, and its ability to resist compression, with its readiness to resume work with PETA to develop the alternative.