DAVID APPEL FURS - A FURRIER

I’m sure that you’ve seen the topic of the ethics of real fur come up increasingly in pop culture and fashion news over the past few years. Whether it be Billie Eilish refusing to wear Oscar de la Renta at the Met Gala unless the company promised to cease the sales of real fur coats. Or the ever so controversial conversation of the use of vintage or found real fur coats. This topic is bound to have shown up recently on your feed. But what is sparking this conversation? How can we inform people of the importance of preserving vintage real furs and faux furs?

With preservation through fur cleaning and fur conditioning, proper fur storage, and the innovations of todays furriers, the fur industry is more sustainable than ever. This and the low environmental impact of vintage furs should be sparking a renaissance for the industry. Let’s take a look at what has led us to this point.

Fur coats have long been a staple of humanity. Real furs were used as a social status symbol in the 11th century. Leading to laws about which social classes were allowed to wear real fur coats.

With the demand for real fur coats rising amongst the wealthy during the Victorian era, increased demand led to the initial creation of fur farms. Men would typically wear fur lined coats and women would wear coats that were trimmed and embellished with real furs.

By the mid-1900’s, real furs became more affordable and increasingly more casual. Fur coats began to come in different shapes and cuts. More film stars were using furs in their private life. Casual use of furs became more acceptable. This also marked the first production of faux fur coats and accessories by popular designers.

Today, there is a more sustainable approach to real fur use. People value vintage real fur much more than the production of new fur coats and fur accessories. While an anti-fur sentiment has been on the rise, it is clear that real fur will always maintain its relevance in fashion trends today. New fur sales are still soaring and the reworking of vintage fur into modern pieces is becoming increasingly popular. But since the creation of faux fur in the mid-1900’s, its popularity has exploded. Along with this so have the environmental impacts of faux furs.

The rise in popularity of faux furs has brought with it many environmental issues. The fast fashion industry produces the majority of faux furs. The production of faux furs uses nonrenewable petroleum-based products. These materials release a good amount of toxic by products. Eco-friendly options are available, but even if labelled as eco-friendly there’s no guarantee that it is.

The production of faux furs is generally inexpensive. The quality isn't the best and they are typically only used a handful of times. Every season, faux furs are pushed on consumers in different styles and over production leads to excessive waste. Many of these faux fur coats end up in landfills.

But Faux furs aren’t all bad. You cab contribute to a positive change of consumer habits by keeping away from low quality faux furs. Purchase ethically made faux fur coats. Be sure to do your research before buying a faux fur coat!

Faux fur care is very similar to that of real fur. The best way to execute faux fur cleaning follows the exact same steps as real fur cleaning and can be done by a reputable furrier. The same methods of real fur cleaning will preserve the integrity of your faux fur coats. Preventing clumping and matting of the fibers.

With proper fur cleaning, fur care, and fur storage, real furs can last for decades. This is the reason why many families are able to pass their furs down from generation to generation. It’s a great way to keep the memories and love for fur coats continuing. If the fur coat you inherited is looking less than stellar, that doesn’t mean that it's the end of the road.

If you think of vintage or found real furs as fabric, it is possible to deconstruct the garment and rework it into new, modern pieces. This is a sustainable practice that is increasingly gaining popularity amongst furriers and their clients. This way, the fur obsessed can continue using their beloved fur coats. Preserving memories and reducing the need to buy a new fur coat.

When looking for fur repairs, take the chance to think about a restyling as well. Do you want to restore a beloved fur, but want to make it more functional for your own personal use? A reputable furrier would be more than happy to guide you through all of the possibilities for your fur coat. And in the process of the fur repair and restyling, he will be able to give your fur coat the best fur cleaning and conditioning available.

Fur cleaning and conditioning are integral to giving your coat the long life you want it to have. Fur cleaning will get rid of any dirt, makeup, and oils that have transferred from your face and hands. A dirty fur will look flat and lifeless and contribute to the drying out of the furs natural oils. Fur conditioning restores the fur coat or accessory to its lustrous, supple and fluffy self and the hide will have a good deal of its elasticity restored.

Keeping your fur coats in a temperature controlled cold fur storage vault with your furrier will drastically increase your fur coats longevity. The cold fur storage not only keeps moths from damaging your furs, but it also reduces the risk of deterioration from humid or excessively hot conditions.

Furs will always be a topic for debate. But whatever your stance you should be able to recognize the importance of preserving the beautiful fur coats and fur accessories already in circulation. Whether inherited or a vintage find, there will always be plenty of love to go around for fur coats. And with more luxury department stores closing their fur departments, it is more important now than ever to find a trusted furrier to provide the proper fur storage to preserve these pieces for generations to come.