Many factors influence whether a particular clothing choice may be considered to be ethically or morally acceptable.  They include: the environmental impact of producing the raw materials, manufacturing, and eventual disposal of the product; the working conditions of people involved in all phases of production; and the distribution of benefits (e.g., “Fair Trade”). In the case of fur and other animal-derived products, there are additional considerations.  While public opinion research has repeatedly confirmed that about 80% of North Americans believe that wearing fur is “a matter of personal choice”, research has also shown that for the killing of any animal to be considered as ethical or morally acceptable, the following four criteria must be satisfied:

• Sustainable Use: The survival of the species should not be threatened;
• Animal Welfare: No unnecessary pain or cruelty should be inflicted;
• Important Use: Animals should not be killed for frivolous purposes;
• Minimal Waste: As much of the animal as possible should be used.

For a full discussion of how the North American fur trade satisfies all four of the criteria required for the ethical use of animals, please visit our blog post: Why fur is the ethical clothing choice

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  Many different species of furbearer are used in the fur trade, catering to different market segments. For the top luxury market, some of the most important types include mink, sable, and chinchilla. For less-expensive options, the most popular are rabbit and various forms of sheep fur: sheepskin, lambskin or shearling. Rabbit and sheep fur are mostly by-products of human food production. More than 80% of pelts used today in the global fur trade comes from farms. North American farms produce very high-quality mink and fox, while other regions farm a variety of species, including mink, fox, chinchilla, Asiatic raccoon, Rex rabbit, and karakul sheep (also known as Persian lamb, or Swakara). Furs taken from the wild are still very important, accounting for almost 20% of all furs used. The world’s largest producers of wild furs are Canada and the US, and almost half of all pelts produced in North America today are still from the wild. These include a wide variety of species, with some of the most prized being coyote, marten, fisher, bobcat, and lynx. Less valuable but highly abundant and very versatile are beaver, muskrat, raccoon, opossum, and red fox. Smaller quantities of wild furs also come from Russia (sable), Europe (fox), and South America (fox, nutria).

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  It can take from 40 – 100 hours of meticulous craftsmanship to create a fur coat. Each garment is hand-made, using artisanal skills maintained through centuries-old traditions. Each coat is individually cut and sewn – and in my case, knitted or woven – so each piece is unique, an authentic work of art.

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  Yes. Most of the warmth of a fur is actually provided by the dense underfur (“duvet”), while the longer guard-hairs provide protection against branches, wind and rain. Shearing is now often used to reduce the bulkiness and weight of a fur coat, and while the thickness of the under-fur may sometimes also be reduced, its main goal is to shorten the guard-hairs. In the best sheared-fur garments,  the guard-hairs may be removed entirely by "plucking", a process commonly applied to beaver. Because shortening or removing guard-hairs has little effect on the fur’s insulation properties, sheared fur is ideal for dry winters, linings and items like scarves. For wet and windy winters, a fur with the guard-hairs still in place may be preferable. As it happens, the world's most popular fur, mink, comes naturally with short guard-hairs, which means it is light and a great all-rounder even without shearing. Two types of fur are worth a special mention here. Chinchilla is the second-densest of all furs after sea otter, but has no guard hairs at all. So it’s extremely warm but not something you want to wear in the rain. Ringed and harp seals, meanwhile, have nothing but guard-hairs, with no under-fur. So sealskin garments are not the warmest furs, but they are extremely resistant to wind and rain.

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Yes. The number of designers currently working with fur is probably as high now as it has ever been. While some brands and retailers have dropped fur in recent years, the number of artisanal designers working with fur has been rising steadily. Fur has long been appreciated by designers and their customers for its warmth, beauty and luxurious feel, but the ways in which fur is used have evolved and expanded greatly in recent years. New techniques for working with fur have made it more versatile, giving designers more freedom to be creative. In addition to outerwear apparel, fur is increasingly used for vests and other small pieces, for linings and trims, and for a wide range of fashion accessories. Animal rights groups like to list brands that don’t use fur, but the majority of these are fast-fashion brands whose price point is too low to include luxury materials such as fur. Meanwhile, among the higher-end brands, fur continues to be prominent in most designer collections, including Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, and many more.

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  Some do, of course, but most of the best designers use real fur. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and designers have flocked to fur because of its extraordinary softness and rich, luxe texture. No synthetic product can even come close to reproducing this. In today's socially conscious world, designers do the homework in order to be aware of consumer concerns. Designers today know that real fur is a responsibly and sustainably produced, renewable, natural resource. By contrast most fakes are made with petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Up to one gallon of petroleum is used to produce three synthetic jackets. The production of synthetic fibers also involves chemical reactions at high temperatures, producing potentially harmful substances. But some designers are working with fake fur in order to give their customers a choice, both in terms of price as fake fur is generally cheaper, and for those who like the look of fur but choose not to buy fur. We support this choice.

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