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Since the founding of our business in 1977, we have focused on products made with quality materials and true craftsmanship, combined with exceptional customer service.
We have never strayed from that philosophy and believe that every decision we make as a company has an impact on our community and the environment. We take that responsibility very seriously.
We do not support fast fashion! We sincerely believe that buying quality that lasts for years or generations is ultimately better for the environment and your pocketbook. As the old saying goes: "I'm not rich enough to buy poor quality things."
As consumers, every purchasing decision we make has an impact on the environment and our society, whether it is fur, wool, leather, precious metals, plant-based or petroleum-based synthetics. In our climate, we need clothing that keeps us warm in the wintertime and dry in the rainy season. We strive to carry natural products that meet our customers’ needs for function and style, while being respectful to nature and to the people who produce them.
We DO NOT believe that synthetic materials are a responsible alternative to natural, sustainable materials.
Our primary product line, FurtherTM by Cahill, is 100% derived from Upcycled vintage furs and end-of-roll luxury fabrics. All items are hand-made in our own workshop in Peterborough, or in small workshops in Toronto or Montreal.
When upcycling vintage fur garments that are 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years old, we believe this truly defines sustainability and responsibility, and it all starts with a product that was originally made to last generations.
When purchasing materials for our own production, we believe in the quality, luxury and sustainability of natural products. Our primary furs are sourced from local and Indigenous harvesters who derive a portion of their living from the land. Their practices are highly regulated and meet the terms of the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards, which ensures the highest levels of animal welfare, selectivity, training and enforcement, and is 100% traceable. Nothing about this is random. It is a regulated industry, and activities have high levels of oversight and enforcement.
Fur production in North America has an impressive 400+ year track record in sustainability. Evolution of best practices in conservation has resulted in healthy or hyper-abundant populations of wildlife that remain in much of their traditional habitat, where it has not been completely lost to urbanization. However, cities across North America and Europe face increased levels of human/wildlife conflict from local and invasive species that are altering habitat and causing human health and safety risks. Although many see this as a nuisance, in many ways, it is a good sign that our wildlife management practices have ensured the sustainability of native wildlife species, which in turn contributes to healthy ecosystems. This fact could be better understood and should be celebrated and embraced.
Whether we choose to use fur or not, wildlife will continue to be harvested in wildlife management programs, in virtually every country in the world. It is our belief that this should be done by the most highly trained and licensed individuals, using the absolute best practices for animal welfare and conservation, and that we should feel comfortable in USING what we take from the land.
We are very selective when sourcing ready-made products for our store. We ensure that each of our suppliers share our philosophy in their sourcing and production practices, and supply chain management. Every step matters.
Every product that we carry that contains any amount of fur is produced in our own workshop at the Peterborough store, or in small family run workshops in Canada or Europe. Furs sourced for these products meet the Fur Mark standards, and the nature conservation mission of the IUCN/World Conservation.
Our cloth coats are mainly produced in Toronto, with fabrics sourced primarily from Europe’s finest mills for wool, cashmere and alpaca which meet REACH production standards.
Our feather/down products are sourced from Canadian or European companies that source feather/down in accordance with the Responsible Down Standard.
Our waxed cotton products from Barbour, a UK-based company, source their cotton from suppliers who meet the Better Cotton initiative, ensuring the least environmental impact in cotton production.
Every product produced and consumed has an environmental footprint. There is no room in our society for irresponsible environmental or social practices, and animal welfare is integral to our philosophy of respect.
At Cahill’s, we take this philosophy very seriously and will stand by it for all of our products and services.
