Contents of the article
A beautiful fur coat always makes a woman feel delighted, even if she convinces others of the opposite. This is a certain instinct, the memory of ancestors, which whispers that fur clothing is not only beautiful and warm, but also status. In other words, a woman’s presence of a fur coat is a symbol of success, and emphasizes that her man is a successful hunter who has obtained a skin to insulate his beloved, or has earned enough money to buy it. Times are changing, a woman has enough opportunities to earn money on her own, and sometimes she herself becomes a “lucky hunter.” In addition, modern technologies for the production of artificial fur have reached unprecedented heights, and synthetic fur coats are in no way inferior to natural fur coats.
Regardless of what kind of fur you prefer, in order to buy good thing You need to know a little about furs. That is why we have compiled a short review where we will teach you to understand the most basic parameters.
Natural fur - price gradation
We'll start with natural fur. It is absolutely natural that the pricing parameter for a fur coat is what animal it is made from. Of course, the quality of the fur, where this fur coat was sewn, etc. also matters. But more on that later.
The most expensive fur coats are considered to be mink, fox (silver and black), otter, sable, mole and chinchilla.
Middle-class fur coats made from squirrel, fox (red fox), muskrat and wolverine fur.
The cheapest fur coats are made from hare and rabbit fur.
Everything you need to know about faux fur
As we mentioned above, modern technologies make it possible to produce a worthy replacement for natural fur. Moreover, high-quality faux fur is quite difficult to distinguish from natural fur.
It has a number of advantages, but there are also quite a few disadvantages. Let's figure out what's what.
Benefits of faux fur
- No animals were harmed in its production.
- The cost of synthetic fur coats is several times less than natural ones. This happens for two reasons: the material itself is cheaper, and there is no need to be tricky with cutting.
- Faux fur coats are not damaged by moths.
- Faux fur products are much easier to care for.
Flaws
- Faux fur warms a little worse, primarily due to the breathability of the base.
- Faux fur loses its luster faster, and after a few years the fur coat no longer looks so chic.
- Faux fur is highly susceptible to electrification, which means static electricity attracts more dust. Yes, and it’s a dubious pleasure to “get shocked” after you’ve taken off your fur coat.
Cost and appearance faux fur depends on the method by which it was made.
Regardless of the manufacturing method, any fur consists of two main parts - the supporting base and the pile cover. There are currently four known types of faux fur:
- Woven or double fabric. This technology involves attaching fibers between two bases of the canvas (a kind of sandwich). After all the fibers are attached, they are further strengthened with an adhesive substance, and the base fabrics are cut along the entire plane.
- Knitted fur made using circular or flat knitting machines. To do this, a pile is “tied” into each loop of the knitwear using a small knot.
- Tufted method involves stitching the load-bearing base using a tufting machine. As a result of this, pile loops are formed on the wrong side. Then the loops are cut.
- Glue method consists of gluing thin fibers to the base. The villi can be of different lengths - this way the guard hair and down hairs are imitated.
It should be noted that trends in world fashion are highly dependent on public opinion. That is why not every couturier will risk including in his collection an outfit that includes natural fur, or consists entirely of it.
But honestly, we can’t say that faux fur coats look worse. You can see this for yourself by looking at the photos below.
Various prints, perfect fit. Besides... buying a faux fur coat without “all the money in the world” will allow you to change it after a few seasons to something more trendy.
Finishing the topic of faux fur, we want to ask you: “Do you know why faux fur cannot be called eco-fur?” Seems logical, right? The animals remain whole; no one slaughters them for the purpose of getting their skins. It turns out everything is simple. In the 70s of the last century, Greek fur craftsmen achieved the adoption of a law prohibiting calling artificial fur “eco-fur”. And the basis for this law was the fact that the production of synthetics pollutes the environment, and synthetic materials themselves are a by-product of the oil industry.
Types of natural fur
Natural fur differs not only in cost, but also in warmth, hair length, size, wear resistance and resistance to water.
Below in the photo you can see what the skins look like before they become a full-fledged fur coat.
If you need a warm fur coat, start your choice with information about the place of origin of the animal from which it is made. If the animal lived in a country where there is no cold, then no matter how hard the breeders try, its fur will not be warm. The fur of an animal that lives in the wild is always warmer than a similar one that grew up on an animal farm.
The warmest fur coats are made from fur:
seals
Otters
Raccoon dog
Beaver
Sable
Muskrats
Doodle(did you know that until the 60s of the 20th century, only the skin of a lamb slaughtered on days 1-3 of life was considered karakul?)
Minks
Nutria
Martens
If you need a fur coat to show off at social events, or to quickly move from your car to an office building, you can safely give preference to a fur coat made from:
Mole
Chinchillas
Hare
Groundhog
Goat
Squirrels
If wet weather prevails in your region in winter, and snow is replaced by short-term rain, we recommend that you give preference to fur coats made from waterfowl.
Beaver
Nutria
Otters(usually for women's products, only plucked skins are used, which are somewhat similar to mink).
Pile length
Fur products are also distinguished by the length of the pile. The record holders for fur length are considered to be the fox, arctic fox and raccoon. In the photos below you can see how chic these fur coats look.
But not everyone likes “shaggy” fur coats; some prefer “low pile”. In this case, we recommend that you pay attention to pony and mole fur coats.
The modern fur industry endlessly pleases us with a wide range, varying in pile length, textures, colors and length of the product.
“Her Majesty the mink”
Mink coats are considered truly royal. For many women, they are a dream, a goal, a kind of symbol of what they have achieved. It is impossible not to love mink products - they flow, “flow” in your hands, and are unusually fluffy. In addition, a mink coat is quite light, which means it does not harm the spine.
The popularity of mink is reflected in the works of breeders. Mink products are distinguished not only by the country of origin of the animal, but also by the color palette, of which mink fur is very rich.
Russian mink. Surprisingly, this breed of mink was bred in 1928 by Soviet breeders. Although it would be more logical to assume that in Russia, a region rich in fur, nature itself would take care of a separate breed.
Russian mink fur coats are longer-haired and have a surprisingly warm down. Fur coats of maxi length are usually made from Russian mink, but alas... not of the highest quality. Although, undoubtedly, a lot depends on animal husbandry.
Scandinavian mink. One of the most common fur-bearing animals on the whole Earth. There are two types of selection: Finnish (high fur) and Danish (low fur). There is another subspecies of Scandinavian mink - the polar mink, which is more reminiscent of a sable than a mink.
North American mink. It is extremely popular due to its low pile and the incredible thickness and density of the underfur. This fur structure creates an incredible velvet effect - shiny and silky. The North American breed of mink has only two drawbacks - the exorbitant price, and the huge difference in the basic parameters of skins from different fur farms. If at auctions in Scandinavia all skins are sold in large lots, since they are of the same type... then American auctions cannot afford such luxury, and sell the products of each animal farm separately.
But no matter what, mink coats are simply gorgeous! Below we will show you this.
Mink fur color
The variety of colors of mink fur is enormous. By and large, there is absolutely no need to look for dyed mink in order to find a product that perfectly matches the color.
Beige mink(depending on the shade, the color is called “pearl” or “palomino”)
White headlund color.
Blue mink(depending on the tone, the colors are: “violet”, “sapphire”, “iris”, “silver-blue”).
Gold
Scanglow
Scanblack, or Scandinavian black
Painted
STK– standard dark brown
STC– standard black color
Marble
Fur products of all colors, with the exception of dyed ones, will serve you for a long time. Mink coats are out of fashion, and therefore rest assured that even after 20-30 years you will still shine in a mink fur coat.
The service life of painted products is slightly shorter – by about a quarter. Mink coats are dyed for two reasons: to give the coat a fashionable color (for example, leopard print), or to hide some imperfections in the fur.
Dyed mink should be cheaper than undyed mink.
How not to get confused in a fur store
We do not recommend that you purchase a fur coat spontaneously. It’s better to walk around the bush for a while and carefully consider potential defects. Unfortunately, we don’t know all the secrets of furriers, but we can give basic recommendations:
The pile should shine.
Be sure to pay attention to the dressing. Poor quality skins are heavier and may crack over time.
The most expensive products are made from the backs of mink. The back has a long pile that covers the down.
The number of seams should not be large. You don't need a fur coat made from pieces, do you?
Lapin
Many people consider rabbit fur coats to be consumer goods, but they do it completely in vain. Even though the prices for rabbits are very affordable, the quality of the fur itself is more than worthy of attention.
A rabbit fur coat provides excellent warmth in cold weather.
If the rabbit skin is well-cured, it does not weigh much.
Rabbit skins come in the most unusual flowers and shades.
Did you know that not so long ago in France and China, rabbits with short hair and a fur structure very similar to chinchilla fur were selected? These breeds are called Rex and Orylag. And it’s a rare person in the street who will be able to distinguish a Rex rabbit fur coat from a chinchilla fur coat. In order to notice the difference, you need to have a fine understanding of the features of the fur pile of these animals, or know the price of the fur coat.
The decision to acquire a natural fur coat for the new season is due to two reasons. The first is to provide yourself with warm, high-quality clothes, the second is to satisfy your ambitions or demonstrate your good financial situation. Seriously though, indeed, each type of fur has its own “status” and value, differs in appearance, ability to warm the body and retain heat, wearability, and, accordingly, cost. The rich assortment of modern winter clothing allows us to satisfy the aesthetic and practical needs of residents of regions with traditionally cold winters, as well as residents of areas with a mild climate.
Each person, going to the store for an elegant, chic, warm fur coat (it is in a specialized retail outlet that you should buy natural fur products), is guided by his own considerations. It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of which animal fur coat should be purchased; each case must be considered separately. Some people love luxurious fluffy furs with long pile: fox, arctic fox, raccoon. Others are seduced by the silkiness of short, elastic mink fur or the “plushness” of very short pony fur. It is noteworthy that the value of fur does not always determine the lifespan of the product, for example, as is the case with an expensive but impractical chinchilla, which is worn like a cheap rabbit - on average 2 seasons.
Rational connoisseurs of reliable, good-quality things will probably give preference to a fur coat made from the fur of a river beaver, seal, otter or raccoon dog, which are recognized as the most wearable. Next in the list, in a descending order, is the noble fur of mink, nutria and marten, as well as sable, muskrat and astrakhan fur, then in this row lined up are the furs of such animals as fox, arctic fox, ferret, wolf, sheepskin. A marmot, a hare, a goat, a squirrel are soft and light, beautiful furs in their own way, but not warm enough, and very short-lived. Most often, they are used to sew children's products, which after a couple of seasons become unwearable due to loss of attractiveness, and it is not at all a pity to throw away such an item - after all, the child has already grown out of it.
For areas where winters are characterized by high humidity, fur coats made from waterproof fur of river animals: otter, beaver or nutria are excellent. True, the fur of wild nutria and cage-grown fur differs in quality and price. Also, when purchasing, you should pay attention to the quality of the fur - it must be harvested in winter. Good workmanship is the elasticity of the flesh, which should be easily wrinkled and also easily return to its original position.
Mink (Russian), mink (English), visone (Italian) - a semi-aquatic small animal with thick soft underfur and coarse protruding guard hair, the tallest guard hair is on the back and decreases towards the ventral part. Beautiful, predatory and feisty, the mink is a perfect creation of nature and evokes only sympathy.
Mammal predatory minks include:
European mink (lat. Mustela lutreola) - a distinctive feature is a white border of fur on the lower lip.
American mink (lat. Mustela vison or lat. Neovison vison) is larger in size and has thicker fur compared to European mink.
Indonesian mountain mink (lat. Mustela lutreolina).
Sea mink (lat. Mustela macrodon) - the species was completely exterminated by humans by 1890.
- “Siberian mink” (lat. Mustela sibirica), or Siberian kolinsky, or kolinsky.
The mink is one of the useful small predators; it swims well, runs tirelessly, and easily climbs trees. The flexible and cute mink is brave, vicious and unusually agile. The little heart of a mink knows no fear, it always fights with desperate courage, often the mink attacks first. The mink is well adapted to life near bodies of water. It makes its burrow on the bank of a forest stream; it often uses the burrows of water rats and muskrats.
The day of the wild mink is spent searching for food and hunting rodents, birds, and fish. 
The mink feeds on small animals that live near and in bodies of water: fish, crayfish, frogs, water rats and small mouse-like rodents. Birds, their eggs, shellfish and aquatic insects are less commonly added.
In addition to sharp teeth and claws, nature has provided the mink with a weapon of another kind: on both sides of the tail it has glands that produce a greenish, foul-smelling liquid, which the mink, in defense, sprays on the attacker. Unaccustomed people feel sick from the terrible smell, and familiar people turn pale, struggling with nausea.
The elegance of European mink
Mink, or European mink (lat. Mustela lutreola) is a predatory mammal from the mustelidae family. Genetically closer to Siberian weasels. The European mink is common in Eastern Europe, in forest areas, near small forest reservoirs, avoiding the tundra zone.
The European mink species is listed in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Books of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Komi Republic, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Orenburg, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions. There are two subspecies of European mink:
The Caucasian European mink (Mustela lutreola turovi) is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
The Central Russian European mink (Mustela lutreola novikovi) is included in the IUCN Red List. 
The European mink is a small, graceful animal with a flattened muzzle, short legs, a flexible, elongated body and a short, non-furry tail. The mink's head is slightly flattened and indistinctly separated from the neck. Has a swimming membrane between the toes. A fringe of thick and coarse hair grows on the sides of the toes, thanks to which the mink can easily move along viscous soil. Body length 28-43 cm, tail 12-19 cm, weight about 800 grams. The European mink has a front part of the muzzle, upper lip and the chin are painted white, so the muzzle always looks smiling. Sometimes white spots may appear on the throat and chest.
The European has a short coat of fur, very thick and dense, with a low, thick underfur that does not get wet even when the animal stays in water for a long time. The difference in the structure of a mink's fur in summer and winter is small. The color of the fur is uniformly dark brown throughout the body; occasionally almost black or brownish-red individuals are found.
American mink - overseas invader
The American mink, or eastern mink (lat. Neovison vison) is a North American species from the mustelidae family. Genetically closer to martens. The American, an overseas invader, is much larger and stronger than her European relative.
In the wild, the American mink's natural habitat in North America is from Alaska to Newfoundland and the temperate zone of Eurasia. Depending on the geographical distribution, it has several subspecies, which differ in size and quality of fur. Of all the varieties, there are three main types:
The Alaskan or Yukon mink is large in size, with dark hair, found in Alaska and Western Canada.
Eastern or Quebec mink is smaller, the fur is darker, elastic and silky with a bluish-gray underfur. It is considered the most valuable for the quality of its pubescence. The eastern mink is found in Eastern Canada south of Northern Pennsylvania and the Labrador Peninsula. 
Kenai mink is distinguished by its large size, very dark guard hair and the absence of a white spot on the chest. The Kenai mink is found in Southern Alaska and the West Coast of North America.
American mink appearance similar to the European mink, differs in 2 times larger size. Body length up to 50 cm, weight up to 2 kg, tail length up to 25 cm, swimming membrane is less developed. American mink has soft and shiny fur, brown or almost black in color. A distinctive feature of the American woman is that the lower lip is painted white, and the upper lip matches the tone of the head. There may be white spots on the chest and abdomen.
At the end of the 19th century, it was brought to Europe, where it took root well, thanks to its high ecological plasticity. In the territory of the former USSR, the acclimatization of the American mink began in 1933. Currently, it lives throughout almost the entire territory of the former USSR. In the European part of Russia the new kind displaced the less flexible European mink from its original habitats, which, along with predation on local species of waterbirds, is one of the negative factors.
American - furry slave
Since the mid-17th century, wild American mink has been a major fur trade in North America between Native Americans and European explorers. There was European mink on the European fur market, but its quantity was not enough to satisfy consumer demand, so European mink was successfully replaced by wild American mink.
Mink fur is valued for practical beauty, warmth and lightness. American minks occupy one of the first places in world fur farming. Thanks to their wonderful fur, mink are bred in captivity on fur farms. As a result of many years of selection and crossing of minks, a palette of new colors and shades has appeared, which is in high demand. Colored mink fur is the most expensive, due to the difficulty of obtaining and small amount on the world fur market. 
In North America, since 1866, isolated attempts have been made to cell breed mink, by catching wild American mink and selecting them. At the end of the 19th century, mink farming became popular among North American farmers. The figures for Canada are indicative. In 1910, there were only 16 minks in cages, in 1923 - 489, in 1930 - 21,062 individuals, this is about 600 farms. In Europe, the Germans and Norwegians were the first to become interested in American minks.
And in 1926, American mink was first brought to Europe, but until 1930 the number of minks on fur farms was insignificant. From Germany, in 1928, the first batch of 16 individuals of American mink was brought to the territory of the USSR, to the Pushkinsky animal farm in the Moscow region. Since 1929, cage breeding of minks began in the Soviet Union on individual state farms, and the number of minks gradually increased. In the post-war years, the rapid development of mink farming began in the USSR. But visible results in breeding American minks on Russian farms were obtained only in the late 50s of the 20th century.
In the 30s, in the USA, thanks to the appearance of platinum foxes on the fur market, which created a stir in the fur industry, mink breeders began to be more careful about the mutant colors of mink, which were previously considered defective. Since 1938, hybrid mink colors began to be bred in North America.
Regarding mink fur, the market was at first quite conservative, but when in 1941 seven owners of colored minks united in the Chicago Association and began to promote their goods - organizing auctions, shows, fashion shows, and doing marketing, colored mink gradually began to conquer the world market. At the end of the 60s, a sharp decline in demand for fur in the USA, caused by for various reasons- overproduction, additional taxes on farmers, the massive spread of the Aleutian disease, undermined the industry, but assistance from the US government helped stop the complete ruin of farmers. 
In the late 60s, many color groups of mink were purchased from the USA for Soviet farms: black, pearl, Aleutian, blue iris, prelest, lavender, violet, sapphire, orchid pastel. Almost every year, breeding colored minks were brought from abroad. The mink farming industry in the USSR reached its peak in the 70s and 80s, with maximum production reached in 1988. In the 90s, after the collapse of the USSR, fur farming experienced a severe crisis, many fur farms curtailed mink breeding, sometimes destroying unique collections of the world mink gene pool, fur farms of the Leningrad region - “Zarya”, “Roshchinsky”. In Russia, mink production decreased by 3.5 times in the 90s.
Meanwhile, the capacity of the domestic market has been preserved, and about 7 million skins are imported into Russia annually. Russian farms are now using the gene pool that was accumulated in the country in the 60-80s. According to 1999 data, in breeding farms and breeding farms the mink population consists of: standard - 55%, pastel and soklopastel - 6%, silver-blue - 6%, sapphire - 22%, ampalomino, ampalsilver (pearl), moylaleut (lavender) - by 1%. Herds of white minks have disappeared. The tasks of mink breeders for the near future: learn marketing, reduce costs, modernize technology, create associations to improve mink farming. Today, the fur industry is actively recovering.
At the beginning of the 20th century, short fur with a completely new texture came into fashion - elegant mink. Wild mink skins were cheap compared to the cost of other fur. By the 20s of the 20th century, the good quality of mink bred in captivity allowed the price to reach $10 per skin. Mass breeding of minks began in the 1920s, when prices for mink skins more than tripled. But fur farmers did not stop there, and by 1930, mink skins already cost an average of $30, and the best specimens reached prices of up to $120. In the early 60s, mink fur products accounted for 75% of the total number of fur products sold in trade.
High prices have contributed to an increase in the number of mink farms and their competition. The enchanting success of the mink forced North American fur farmers to breed newer species of colored mink. In Russia, after World War II, small farms involved in fur farming went bankrupt, while large ones switched to mink. Then a steady demand for mink fur began to appear; in the USSR, about 80% of the market was occupied by mink skins. Compared to the pre-war number of mink skins sold on the fur market, during the war the number of mink skins increased from 500 thousand to 3.8 million. 
There are two types of American mink: wild and caged. American mink (Mustela vison Schr.), which is called caged or Siberian, is raised on fur farms. It was obtained by crossing several subspecies of wild American mink. Cellular American mink differed significantly best quality skins and large size. The cost of mink fur depends on the quality of the skin and fur, size and color. The skins of females are valued more than those of males. Modern machine primary processing of mink skins makes it possible to produce higher quality skins.
The fur of mink raised in an enclosure is softer, more fluffy and silky to the touch, has low pile of the same length, has a very thick undercoat and a coarser awn. The main color of the caged mink is dark brown, similar to the color of the wild type, and is called standard. The standard mink breed was approved in 1968 with two intrabreed types - dark brown and black minks. In recent years, another type of standard mink has been bred in the country - brown, also called wild American.
The standard mink is the ancestor of all colored types, which make up up to 50% of the total population. Mutant minks are divided into recessive and dominant based on fur color. The color of minks depends on the presence of black or yellow pigment in the hair. Different amounts of black pigment give color from black to light gray, yellow - from dark brown to cream. About 30 colored types of mink are used for industrial production of skins.
Mink fur manufacturers
American mink is bred and raised on farms in the USA, Canada, Scandinavia, Holland, Finland, Greece, Russia, the Baltic states and Ukraine. Recently, China also joined them. The world leaders among all countries are Scandinavia and North America.
Over many years of work by fur breeders from different parts of the world, several types of mink have been identified, the quality of the skins, the properties and characteristics of the fur, which depend on a balanced diet, breeding location, climatic conditions, as well as on the chosen direction of the breeders. Naturally, an animal living in cold climates will have thicker and warmer fur than its southern relatives. 
Existing types of minks:
North American mink;
Scandinavian mink;
Russian mink.
North American mink is a breed of mink that is bred on fur farms in the United States and Canada. North American mink fur looks and feels like touching velvet, due to the rather low, thin spine, which is practically invisible due to the dense and high underfur. There is a North American mink with natural “super-short” hair, which below the underfur has a plucked appearance. It appears on sale quite rarely.
Since the number of bred North American mink with very high quality fur is relatively small, mink pelts have a very high reputation and are considered exclusive. North American mink skins are sold at auctions AMERICAN LEGEND in Seattle and NAFA in Toronto. On them, mink skins are assigned one of two quality systems - American, trademark AMERICAN LEGEND® MINK or Canadian trademark NAFA® MINK - North American Furs Auction.
North American fur farms pioneered the breeding of black mink, a rarer species of mink whose pelts are more valuable than normal mink. The fur industry and end consumers love black mink for its beauty and quality of fur. In this regard, 52% of the production of American mink skins in 2009 was the production of black mink skins. Today, black mink, exported from America, is bred all over the world.
The peculiarity of mink fur is that, under the influence various conditions feeding, housing and climate, batches of skins coming from different farms on the continent can differ significantly from each other. Therefore, auctions are auctioned in lots for individual farms, unlike Scandinavian mink, where the origin is not taken into account when sorting. Thus, Black Nafa and Blackglama mink skins, depending on their origin, can even differ in shade: from black to almost brown, which is closer to the color of mahogany. Such a mink can be tinted in order to obtain the required black, which is business card this type of mink.
At the American Legend auction, colored minks have quality indicators: American Legend. Black mink has quality indicators: Blackglama, Glma, Standard. At the same time, the most best mink black shade gets its own name: American BLACKGLAMA ®. The BlackGlama trademark was developed and put into circulation by specialists from the American Legend fur auction. 
Natural black mink Blackglama is mink fur of a very dark, almost black color, with a slight brownish tint, the so-called “oil color”. Leather fabric is light, flexible, without defects.
Blackglama brand mink pelts are sold only by American Legend. At the same time, each buyer is given special branded labels for marking finished products. One lot is 30 female skins and 15 male skins - one label. After careful sorting, only the best black mink receives this signature label and passport. The American Legend company, under the Blackglama trademark, produces only black mink of exceptional quality, and is positioned as an elite brand.
The American Legend company released a promotional video “What becomes a real legend?”, featuring world film and television stars, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Luciano Pavarotti, Audrey Hepburn. The world-famous Blackglama brand was given a youthful and fashionable direction by models Gisele and Linda Evangelista, starring in photo shoots.
At the specialized fur auction NAFA in Toronto, black mink has quality indicators for males and females separately: Black Nafa, Silver, Unlabeled. At the same time, the best black mink gets its own name: Canadian BLACK NAFA ®, it is given a special name and labels.
BLACK NAFA ® Black Nafa is the finest mink from Canadian fur farms. Black Nafa has a rich black color with a slightly noticeable brownish tint. Black Nafa and Blackglama are very similar in appearance, their prices are approximately the same. 
The Scandinavian mink is an American mink introduced into Northern Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to active work Scandinavian fur farmers, mink farming has become an important sector of the economy of Finland and Denmark. Scandinavian mink is sorted according to a special quality control system that has become the standard for fur pelts. Today, Scandinavian mink is the most widespread in the world, and accounts for about 80% of the world market for mink skins.
Scandinavian mink fur is a popular material for Russian furriers, since its qualities are better suited to the peculiarities of the Russian climate. The most valuable types of Scandinavian mink, with similar high quality, are cheaper than their American competitors.
About 75-80% of Scandinavian mink pelts are sold at the Copenhagen fur auction “Kopenhagen Furs” in Denmark. Danish mink is labeled KOPENHAGEN FURS. Finnish mink skins are sold in Helsinki at the Finnish Fur Auction “Finnish Furs Sales”. Finnish mink is labeled SAGA FURS. 
Scandinavian mink fur has a smooth, medium-height spine and thick underfur. Scandinavian mink skins are divided into two types - Danish and Finnish.
The Danish mink has shorter, softer guard hairs and dense underfur. The Danish type “velvet” - “velvet”, translated into Russian means “velvet” - the highest grades of Danish skins are called; the structure of the pile is close to the North American type of mink.
Finnish mink has taller, more delicate guard hair and thick underfur. Finnish mink is a variety of Scandinavian mink bred in Northern Europe.
Occasionally, a very rare mutation of the Finnish mink, called the “polar mink,” is found at fur auctions. The fur of the polar mink has a “classic” brown color with a pronounced ridge, with a very high awn and underfur, so it is more reminiscent of sable than mink.
Thanks to the active work of Finnish breeders, there are a huge number of natural shades of mink fur, according to the Saga Furs fur color gradation system: skanbrown, skanblack, skanglow, silverblue, sapphire, palomino, silver-cross, black-cross, sapphire-cross, pastel-cross , pastel, mahogany, iris, pearl, violet, white and jaguar.
Mink “Scanblack” is a Scandinavian natural black mink, has equalized guard hair of medium length, which covers a thick underfur, and is distinguished by a special shine. Sometimes this mink is called “black diamond” because of its shimmering colors of the rainbow. Danish mink labeled Kopenhagen Fur is distinguished by quality: Purple, Platinum, Burgundy, Ivory. The first part of the word "scan" is currently owned by the Finnish fur auction Saga. Lots of this mink are exhibited at Finnish Fur Sales in Helsinki, the highest quality Saga and Saga Royal. Scanblack mink color is divided into shades based on intensity: XXX dark, XX dark and X dark.
The most common colors of mink fur are shades that replicate the natural color of wild mink - brown with a darker back. For example, “mahogany” - “mahogany”, has a rich dark brown color. “Scanbrown” has darker tones, and “scanglow” has light tones. “Demi-buff”, “dark pastel”, “walnut” - shades Brown. “Pastel” - “pastel”, has a gray-brown, light tone.
The variety of gray-blue tones also enjoys respect. A favorite in popularity, “sapphire” has a beautiful blue tint, “violet” has a lighter tone. “Silverblue” - “silver-blue”, is popular in the CIS. "Blue iris" - "iris", a very rare gray color. “Lavender” - “lavender”, has a lilac tint and a very light underfur.
Finnish white mink - mink first appeared in Finland in 1952. In terms of fur color, it is much lighter than the Swedish palomino mink, and has a cream or almost white color. Its guard hair is heterogeneous in color. 
Russian mink is a variety of North American mink bred in Russia based on specimens imported in 1928.
The Russian mink has acquired the highest guard hair and thick, high underfur. Russian mink fur is shiny, soft and silky to the touch. Over the years of breeding, the Russian mink has acquired certain differences in fur, which are very important for our climate - the fur is longer, fluffy, slightly shaggy, very warm, and moisture resistant.
More than 80% of the mink farmed in Russia is a standard brown breed, with shades ranging from STK - "standard dark brown" - to almost black.
The total quantity of Russian mink produced is about 2 - 2.5 million skins. Of this, only 10-15% is high-quality mink fur. The quality of Russian mink depends on the fur farm in which it is raised, its location and production management.
Russian mink fur is very popular among manufacturers of fur products due to its relatively low cost. It is widely used for sewing whole products, decoration and accessories. Fur coats, coats, jackets, capes, and hats are made from mink.
In recent years, the volume of mink fur production in China has increased significantly, according to unofficial data, approximately 15 million skins. The gene pool of minks was brought to China, corresponding to all three types: North American, Scandinavian and Russian, farms are scattered across different climatic zones, there is no professional training, and not enough time has passed since the start of work to talk about the existence of a separate type of Chinese mink. The cheapest Chinese mink is similar to the Russian one of southern breeding - lying high, hard spine and very weak underfur. The bulk are dark brown and black mink, the easiest to breed.
Mink fur color palette
American mink has one valuable property: her genes contain a huge number of mutations responsible for fur color. It was this circumstance that made the American mink a treasure for breeders in Finland and America. Thanks to selection and dyeing technology, mink fur has different colors. The color range is very diverse. The natural color of cellular mink is very diverse thanks to painstaking selection. There are more than 100 colors and shades, which are combined into several main groups.
Palomino or “champagne” is a natural light beige color.
“Swedish palominos” are small minks with silky yellowish fur and a beautiful pale beige undercoat. Has a sharp contrast between the color of the guard and the underfur.
"American Palomino" - has a fur color ranging from light beige to dark beige, sometimes with an orange or yellowish tint to the fur. very light, like milk tea, can be light beige to dark Breed group of large American minks. This mink first appeared in Sweden in 1945. In 1946, it was presented at an exhibition, where it had little demand due to the yellowish color of the fur.
Demi Buff or “Demi-buff” is a brown shade of Scandinavian mink.
Pearl or “pearl” - the natural color of mink is light beige with a gray tint. There may be “American pearls” or “Finnish pearls”.
Pastel or “pastel” - mink color from light brown to chocolate brown. Pigment spots are smaller, lighter, and more rounded. Ideally, pastel mink is light lilac in color, with a smoky blue tint. Pastel mink first appeared in 1936 in Canada.
Lavender or “lavender” - beige with a lavender tint and a very light underfur.
Mahogany or “mahogany” is the classic natural color of the American and Scandinavian mink, a very dark rich brown shade with a darker stripe along the ridge, quite close to the natural color of this animal in nature. Mahogany minks are characterized by very thick guard hair of small height and a very soft, delicate underfur, which gives the fur special qualities.
Walnut is a brown shade of wild Scandinavian mink, a natural brown color. Walnut is one of the “folk” names for natural Scandinavian mink. This fur almost exactly reproduces the original natural color of mink skin - medium brown, with a darker ridge. Since “walnut” is a very calm tone of fur, it is perfect for ladies of the most varied appearance. Quite often, when making products from walnut mink, craftsmen strive to preserve the “game” of the lighter sides and darker ridges of these skins. Thanks to this, the fur coat acquires an interesting iridescent color and emphasizes the slimness of its owner.
Pink - light beige with a brownish-pink tint. 
Scanbrown or “scanbrown” - “Scandinavian brown” with a darker shade on the ridge. The natural color of the Scandinavian mink breed is brown, Finnish wild mink is dark brown.
Scanglow or “skanglow” is the name of the Finnish mink of a light brown tone. The fur has a pleasant shade of hot chocolate - lighter towards the sides and much darker towards the ridge. To determine the quality of a Scanglow mink, it is very important to pay attention to the color of the underfur. If it is too light a gray shade, the mink is considered defective and is sold at a lower price.
Scanglow is extremely valued among fur manufacturers. About 20% of all mink fur sold at the Finnish Fur Sales is Scanglow.
Topal or “topal” is a lighter shade of coffee with milk.
Hedlund - American White White - the skin is of the same even tone, without transitions, completely white fur with a bluish tint. Some "white" minks have pure white markings on the tail, legs, and underparts of the standard coloration. This allows you to create canvases of a single color. White Hedlund minks are a breed group of colored minks, first bred in 1945 in the USA.
White mink - very rare and beautiful white fur with a slight bluish tint, looking very impressive in any weather and in any lighting. A universal color that suits ladies of Balzac age and very young girls, brunettes and blondes with blue eyes. White mink has become very popular in recent years and is literally at the very peak of fashion. Every collection of fur products necessarily contains several models made exclusively from snow-white mink fur.
Aleutian mink - have an almost black, dark gray color with a blue tint, that is, darker than that of silver-blue. The awn is almost black, the underfur is dark blue. Aleutian minks - appeared in 1941 in the USA.
Violet or “violet” is the lightest of the blue Finnish mink group, has a light gray tint and a less noticeable transition from light sides to a dark ridge. Violet fur has a fairly long awn and thick underfur, which gives the fur a special sophistication and beauty. A rarer mutation of the Sapphire mink, in contrast to the original tone, the Violet skins have a less noticeable transition. 
From the point of view of clothing design, Violet mink has one peculiarity: Violet is not suitable for everyone because the light gray-blue shade is too “pale”. A coat made of Violet fur will not suit every lady’s face; if a lady does not have a very bright appearance, she can get completely lost in such fur. Therefore, Violet mink is not very often found on the streets of Russian cities.
Stardust or “star dust” is a gray mink with tiny white patches of awn. A very rare mutation of the Scandinavian mink. The lot sizes in which this fur appears at auctions can be limited to literally hundreds of skins. If we consider that the average size of mink skin used for making products is usually a square of 15x15 cm, then from the entire batch of Stardust mink you can sew literally one or two fur coats. This circumstance makes Stardust a very expensive premium fur. Some other batches of hybrid mink are also supplied to the market in similar small batches.
Blue Iris or “blue iris” is the natural color of Aleutian steel and Aleutian silver-steel. The color is similar to “light Aleutian” minks, it is very difficult to distinguish from “sapphire” minks, therefore they are often called “steel sapphire”. Such minks are difficult to breed, so they are mainly obtained by tinting “silver-blue” mink skins.
Silverblue or "silver blue" - Russian mink is pure gray and bluish-gray, but often with a dirty tint. Silverblue mink first appeared in 1929 in Arpin, Wisconsin, USA. The production of skins of this mutant increased every year, and in 1945 100 thousand skins were sold.
Sapphire or “sapphire” is the natural color of the Scandinavian mink breed. It has a pure blue color tone, moving from light to dark, with a blue underfur. The fur is a delicate gray-blue shade and has a clear, pronounced line of a darker ridge. There are dark, medium and light varieties. Blue sapphire - has a basic tone of “sapphire” with alternating light and dark stripes of the skin. This natural pattern allows you to create fur products with vertical stripes, giving the effect of elegance and slimness of the figure.
Sapphire is the choice of those ladies who strive to create an image of radiant, cold beauty. Sapphire mink fur is considered one of the classic colors for fur coats, as well as a variety of mink fur accessories. Like other types of mink, it has excellent wear resistance and moisture resistance.
Glow or “glow” - darkening the main color.
Jet - lightens the base color.
Krestovka is the natural color of mink, obtained through selection. The color of the mink cross is white on the belly, spreading to the body, sides and neck. On the back, head and at the base of the tail there are pigmented areas resembling a cross. The underfur is almost white. The black covering hair is replaced by white.
Black cross is the natural standard color of mink, a combination of snow-white fur with black pigmented areas running along the back. A pronounced cross forms between the shoulder blades. The royal silver has the darkest cross. 
Silver Krestovka and silver blue Krestovka have a “silver” basic color with a weakly defined cross.
Aleutian cross - the color of “Aleutian” minks with a black cross.
Cross sapphire - has a basic color of “sapphire”, on which pigment areas of a darker tone are superimposed.
Iris cross - has a basic color of “blue iris” with a weakly expressed cross.
Cross pastel - has a basic pastel color, with fuzzy dark pigment areas with a clearly defined dark brown ridge.
Palomino cross - has a basic “palomino” color, with pigmented areas in the form of a cross of a darker tone.
Pearl cross - has a basic “pearl” color, with pronounced pigment areas of a darker tone.
Sable cross - have the main color of “silver-sable” minks, on which pronounced pigment spots of black covering hair are superimposed.
The “black cross” cross is a natural color, on a snow-white background there is a black ridge in the form of a pronounced cross. The constant work of breeders leads to the fact that every year appears on the market a large number of various color mutations of mink. One of the most popular today is the hybrid “cross” mink “black cross”.
At fur auctions there are other beautiful versions of cross mink - blue “sapphire cross”, brown “brown cross”, pastel “pastel cross”, gray mink with “silver cross” markings. Such batches are sold quite rarely, and are much more expensive.
The silver sable or polar mink is a very rare variety of Finnish mink. Its fur has a very high underfur and a brown awn, with a pronounced ridge, while the head and paws are lighter, reminiscent of a sable.
Shadow or “shadow” is the natural color of mink cross. The color of the fur is average between “crosshair” and “royal silver”, but with a sharp lightening of the base of the awn and underfur. The pigmented tops of the awn against the background of light underfur create a shadow effect. Blue and silver shadow minks have the main color of “silver-blue” minks, on which pigment spots are superimposed in the form of a shadow.
STK or “standard dark brown” is a Russian mink, has a natural color from dark brown to brown, with fluff matching the main fur. Relatively long guard hairs and thick underfur create a “fluffy effect.”
In terms of aesthetic properties, STK mink is not inferior to the best examples of Scandinavian and American mink. Its rich brown color is reminiscent of dark chocolate, and leaves a feeling of warmth and comfort. Sufficiently long hair and thick underfur make STK mink fur very fluffy and creates a slight shaggy look, which looks very impressive in fur products. STK mink fur is very resistant to high humidity. Thanks to this, products made from it are worn excellently in the Russian climate. 
STCH or “standard black” - the covering hair is black, the fluff is dark gray, and has a short and even pile.
Scanblack or “Scandinavian black” is the name of the natural color of black Scandinavian mink, which has a slight brownish tint. Thanks to the even, clear direction of the guard hair and its short length, Scanblack has a very pleasant texture to the touch. And for its special shine and shimmer under the rays of light, this fur is sometimes called “black diamond.”
Scanblack mink skins have a significant advantage: they hold their shape perfectly, which allows the master to make a wide variety of products from Scanblack. The fabric made from this fur is smooth, without visible seams, hair differences or any difference in color. Black Scandinavian mink fur coats typically have neat shoulder lines and a well-defined collar. Scanblack is inferior in cost to black mink BlackGlama, so products made from it are somewhat cheaper and more accessible. It has a very high reputation among manufacturers and consumers of fur products.
Black mink is considered “elite” fur; it is an extremely elegant and stylish fur, valued above other types for its high quality and luxurious shine. Black mink fur is perfect for elegant brunettes with brown eyes. Black BlackGlama and BlackNafa - American mink in natural black color.
BlackGlama - the length of the guard hair is almost the same as the length of the underfur, which gives the fur a special velvety look and texture. Natural BlackGlama mink is very dark, almost black, with a slight brownish tint; experts call this effect “the color of oil.” BlackGlama mink leather fabric is very light and flexible, so you can sew a wide variety of products from it without losing quality and even further emphasizing the beauty of the fur.
American black mink of the highest quality, which is raised on fur farms in the United States. This type of mink fur is considered one of the most expensive in the world of fur fashion and is valued not only by designers, but also by wealthy buyers. It is known that coats from BlackGlama are in the wardrobes of Liza Minnelli, Sofia Loren and other world celebrities.
But since BlackGlama today is one of the most famous brands in the world of fur, it is still quite often counterfeited. Any short-haired mink that is dyed using a special technology, where not only the fur is dyed, but also the leather fabric is bleached, can be passed off as full-fledged BlackGlamu. Unscrupulous sellers save about 30%, or even 50% of the cost of the skins on such operations.
BlackNafa - has excellent external characteristics: hair evenness, elasticity and silkiness. Short guard hair, at or below the level of the denser underfur, rich black color with a barely noticeable brown tint. BlackNafa is the best mink that comes from fur farms in Canada. Real mink BlackNafa and BlackGlama are very similar in essence and cost, with the exception of tags. 
Marble or “marble” is a unique hybrid mink that has a dark yellow color with chocolate streaks. Marble is the only option when the yellow shade of fur is obtained not by bleaching, but as a result of mutation. Like some other hybrid minks, Marble is produced in very small batches, so it is expensive and especially prized among furriers.
Jaguar or “jaguar” or “leopard mink” - the mink has a bright white main color of the skin, over which black spots of uneven shape are scattered; in the sun it has a golden tint. Jaguar is an extremely interesting type of hybrid mink, reminiscent in coloring of traditional cow skin. Since this color is the result of selection and not dyeing, Jaguar mink does not lose the properties inherent in natural fur: it has high wear resistance and very beautiful colour, which becomes more golden under the rays of the sun. This makes the black spots appear even brighter on the skins.
Craftsmen make a wide variety of fur products from Jaguar. Including original fur coats, short fur coats and jackets. Unlike pure white mink, Jaguar, due to its coloring, creates a very picturesque spotted canvas that does not require additional decoration.
Lightened mink species
Gold - “gold” or bleached brown - is made from a Scandinavian variety of mink. This shade is not natural, it is obtained by bleaching fur (like lightening hair). And the darker the starting material, the darker the final Gold shade will be. Thus, we get a palette of a wide variety of shades: from very light brass and “white gold”, to the color of copper and slightly greenish bronze. At the same time, the color of the fur retains the transition from a lighter shade of the side to a darker color of the ridge, which leaves a feeling of “natural” color.
It is quite popular among clothing designers and buyers. It leaves its owners with the impression of real “soft gold”.
SILVER or Crushed Ice - “silver-blue” mink with lightened underfur, resulting in iridescent smoky fur color. The object of many women's dreams is considered a symbol of the owner's respectability.
Dyed types of mink
Anthracite is a color obtained by dyeing under “scanblack”. The procedure for dyeing the spine black and the underfur dark brown with bleaching of the inner core.
Dark colors - obtained by dyeing the spine and underfur in dark color with bleaching of the skin side. Acceptable color palette from green to red.
Bright colors are obtained by dyeing the guard hair and underfur with bleaching the inner layer. The skin of the colored group of minks is used. 
Gray-blue colors - obtained by dyeing the guards and underfur in a gray-blue color with bleaching of the underbelly. Typically, “silver-blue” mink skins with a clean underfur are used to obtain rarer colors.
Briza - fluorescent dyeing in neon colors, obtained by dyeing fur in a neon color with fluorescent paints with bleaching of the flesh. Typically the colors are red, green, blue and yellow.
Snow-top is a process that combines dyeing (bleaching) with reservation of the apex of the spine. The result is a different color of the base and ends of the hair, from dark to light and vice versa. The effect of a snowy peak is created, or the graceful effect of a diamond shadow floating above the snow.
Milky Way is a process that combines dyeing with reservation of the tip of the guard hair, after which the light tips of the guard hair are partially painted over using spraying. The effect of a starry sky is created.
Degrade is a color obtained by degradation dyeing. Heterogeneous dyeing with a shift of color in the direction from the head to the tail of the mink skin. Used on skins of the color group.
Bear - a steel shade of “chocolate” color similar to “bear”, with light grayish tint to the tips of the axial hair, obtained by tinting a mink of the brown group.
Types of mink fur processing
The imagination of designers is not limited to the simple use of mink fur. It is combined with a variety of modern processing methods: perforation, laser cutting, in which the fur is burned so that patterns of hair of different heights are formed on it, the effect of “natural paws”. Unfortunately, in Russia, products made from white mink are still quite rare and are an exception. Darker, beige shades are much more common - light beige “pearl” and gray-beige “topaz”.
Depending on the type of fur processing, mink fur coats come in several types - natural, dyed, plucked and sheared. Plucked mink fur is smoother and more even, all long and hard hairs of the fur are removed manually with a special tool, which makes the product more expensive. Sheared mink fur is similar to velvet, looks very stylish and elegant, the guard hairs are trimmed partially or completely.
Despite the fact that fur farmers all over the world work every day to increase the number and variety of colors of mink, craftsmen involved in fur processing are constantly experimenting with fur, dyeing it in different colors. Some fur manufacturers may even mislead their customers by presenting dyed mink as a more valuable type of fur. 
Most often, traditional immersion dyeing and tinting are used to color mink. They are especially often used when it is necessary to obtain an imitation of a more expensive dark brown mink from mink of a relatively light brown tone. When coloring the fur, the transition from a lighter shade of the side to a darker color of the ridge is maintained, which leaves a feeling of “natural” color.
Tinting is used to even out the color of the underfur and enhance the natural color or slow down yellowing, also to obtain a more valuable shade.
Reinforcing or tinting with black color - the spine becomes lighter, the underfur remains lighter than the spine.
Black (whisper shot) - on brown fur, the awn darkens to a deep black color.
Chocolate is a cool, slightly grayish and darker shade of light brown "scanglow" mink.
Aurora - get a strong blue tint on natural color mink, the darkest shade of the Aleutian “iris”.
Strong blue tinting - blue mink skins with clean underfur are used to enhance the natural color of sapphire, silver-blue, iris, violet, white headlund, and pearl minks.
Frost effect in two tones - dyeing the underfur while preserving the color of the awn and bleaching the underbelly. Skins with uniform fur color are used.
Antique - frost effect in two tones with the underfur dyed green while maintaining the color of the awn.
Stencil - a non-uniform color is obtained by applying a pattern to the fur of an open skin using stencils.
Stencil “wolf”, “tiger”, “zebra” - applying a pattern to the fur of an open skin using stencils for the skins of wild animals.
“Sand” stencil - applying specks of a darker shade to the fur of an open skin using a stencil. Khaki and red stencils are also popular.
Digital dyeing is the modification of mink fur using computer dyeing. A modern method, when using it, any multi-colored patterns are available.
Astragan
This type of fur is a special type of sheepskin ( highest quality) special processing. To obtain "astragan" they use modern methods processing of semi-finished fur products (sheepskin). For visual effect"Astragan" requires a sheepskin with a strong curl of hair and a densely stuffed down. The fur hairline is cut much shorter than the haircut of a regular mouton. Due to the curl of the hair, when short haircut fur (0.5 - 0.7 cm) the result is an effect visually similar to broadtail.
Astragan is much lighter than a regular mouton. In terms of heat-saving properties, it is not inferior to ordinary mouton. In terms of wearability, this material is much superior to a regular mouton, since thanks to the short haircut, the hair does not roll off and a fur coat made from this type of fur does not lose its excellent appearance for at least 3 years of its active use.
Products made from astragan are on average 30% more expensive than similar fur coats and products made from mouton. The most valuable is Turkish astragan
Squirrel
Squirrel fur, one of the softest, was a favorite among royalty many centuries ago. Squirrel skins have always been a valuable fur raw material, which sold well in the foreign and domestic markets. Currently, most often they are sold not individually, but in the form of sewn furs (plates). In terms of fur quality, the teleduck is considered the best squirrel, which can be found in the Altai Territory and Western Siberia. It has a large skin with beautiful lush winter fur of a dark ash-blue color.
However, the durability of the squirrel is low, only 1-3 years, and it also belongs to the category of “cold” furs. Only pure skins are used in their natural form. light shades, the rest are painted mainly in shades of the currently popular brown range.
Beaver
Beavers are covered with tall, thick and soft fur with well-developed silky down. Fur color varies from light brown to almost black. Beaver fur has always been valuable. The city of New Amsterdam, which later became New York, was originally a center for trade in valuable beaver fur. There are two species in the beaver genus: the Eurasian and Canadian beaver. They differ in their chromosome set.
Beaver fur is second only to otter in terms of wear resistance. Products made from beaver fur are worn for 18 seasons. On top of that, beaver fur is surprisingly warm and moisture-resistant. Recently, it has become fashionable to own a fur coat made from sheared beaver fur.
Wolf
The wolf is a prominent representative of typical predators, which obtains its food by actively searching for and pursuing prey. The main prey of the wolf are large ungulates - roe deer, deer, elk, wild boar, antelope. The wolf has earned a bad reputation among humans because of its predatory attacks on domestic animals - cows, horses, sheep, geese, etc. The wolf's prey is almost all living creatures that may be encountered on their way - hares, gophers, grouse and waterfowl, corsacs , foxes, raccoon dogs. Wolves do not disdain the corpses of dead animals, which is why they received the nickname of forest orderlies.
The wolf has long and thick fur consisting of two layers, the first layer of which is made up of hard guard hairs that repel dirt and water. The second layer consists of undercoat, and is a thick fluff that warms the animal.
The color of wolf fur is varied - from black to grayish-white, with shades of silver, brown, red and cream tones.
Despite the fact that wolf fur is not considered as attractive as mink or sable fur, it is widely used by famous designers in their collections. It serves as an excellent material that emphasizes the image of a strong woman, and it is used not only as decoration and accessories, but also beautiful coats and jackets are sewn from wolf fur.
Durable and thick wolf fur belongs to the category of the warmest furs, and therefore has gained great popularity among people who work in extreme conditions - hunters, fishermen, polar explorers, pilots.
Otter
A predator from the mustelid family. This is a large animal, reaching a length of 95 cm, with a flexible, elongated body.
Biologists count 7 species of otters: Canadian or North American, cat or sea, long-tailed, smooth-haired, spotted-necked, Sumatran, and common. The Canadian otter has fur that is black, reddish or grayish brown. The fur is surprisingly thick and resembles velvet.
The long-tailed otter has plush-like fur in appearance. This fur is short and fluffy, dark brown in color with a silver-gray undercoat.
The Sumatran otter is one of the rarest animal species. Its main difference from other species is its fur-lined nose. The color of the short, velvety fur can vary from reddish-chestnut to dark chocolate.
The cat or sea otter is one of the smallest. She has fur with a unique structure, thanks to which the undercoat remains dry in any situation. This fur, with thick and hard hair, is the sea otter's only protection from the cold. Unlike most waterfowl, it does not have a fat reserve.
The fur of the smooth-coated otter, compared to other species, is very short, close to the body, and smooth. This fur is colored smoky gray with a brown tint, lighter on the belly.
The spotted-necked otter gets its name from the markings on its neck and upper chest. The thick, velvety and shiny fur can range in color from reddish brown to chocolate brown.
Our ancestors called the common otter “porechnya” - living along the river. She has smooth fur with a shiny guard and a very thick, slightly wavy undercoat. Dense dark fur is completely impermeable to water.
The otter is an excellent fisherman. The amount of fish that an adult animal catches per day often exceeds its food needs. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the otter was domesticated. Such nurse otters often provided fish for the whole family. In some regions of Africa, the otter still helps local tribes get food.
Otter fur is the most resistant to wear. In a scale designed to determine the wear resistance of fur in points, otter fur occupies the highest line and a score of 100 points. This fur can be worn for 20 seasons.
Muskrat
Delicate, silky muskrat fur, warm and durable, delights lovers of fur products. Its characteristics such as thickness, velvety, softness rightfully classify fur among the most expensive and best views varieties of fur.
Raccoon
The raccoon is a medium-sized carnivorous animal, a mammal. The raccoon genus includes 3 varieties: the striped raccoon, the barnacle raccoon and the Cozumel raccoon. In turn, the most common type of raccoon is divided into 22 subspecies, in particular, the Bahamian, Tresmaria and Barbados raccoons. Raccoon raccoons grow to the size of an average dog.
Columns
Siberian weasel is a predatory mammal belonging to the weasel family. It resembles a ferret in appearance, differing in its lighter color. It has a body length of up to 40 centimeters, a tail of about 18. It lives in Eastern Europe and Asia. Siberian weed can also be found in the taiga and forest-steppe.
Fox
The genus of foxes has 10 species. Among them are the Afghan and steppe fox, Indian and Tibetan, African and South African, sand fox and American corsac fox, fennec fox and, of course, the well-known common red fox.
The African fox has a yellowish-brown body and ears, a whitish inner part of the ears, lower body and muzzle, tan paws, and a red-brown bushy tail with a black tip. This predator is one of the least studied members of the family
Mouton (treated sheepskin)
The sheep is one of the most ancient animals that was domesticated by man. This is an artiodactyl mammal belonging to ruminants. Numerous species of sheep differ from each other in the structure of their horns and habitat.
Seal
One of the representatives of marine pinniped mammals of the seal family is the seal. There are three known species of the seal genus: ringed, Caspian, and Baikal. The seal lives in the Arctic Ocean, in Lakes Baikal and Ladoga, in the Baltic and Caspian seas, in the northern part of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Mink
In those days when skins played the role of money, mink was never one of them. The gray-brown skins of small European mink, rather inconspicuous in appearance, were not valued as highly as sable, marten and squirrel. Later, when furs remained only an exclusive material for clothing, attention began to be paid to mink as an alternative to expensive sable and marten.
Ocelot
The ocelot is a mammal of the cat family, with a body length of up to one meter and a tail of up to 30 centimeters. It is found in the forests of America, from the southern United States to Patagonia. It can also be found in most countries included in its range. The ocelot is endangered and is listed on the IUCN Red List.
Arctic fox
The fur of the Arctic fox is dense and long. It changes color depending on the time of year. If we are talking about a white fox, then its fur is white only in winter, and in summer it takes on a dirty brown tint.
Lynx
The lynx is a bright and unique representative of the cat family. Unlike the elongated and low body of its relatives, the lynx has a short body on strong and high legs. The average body length of adult individuals is no more than one meter, with a weight of 15-20 kg.
Sable
The sable is a small animal, with the body length of adults from 35 to 60 cm, the tail can reach a length of up to 15-18 cm. The average life expectancy of a sable is about 20 years. The color of sable fur varies from sandy yellow to rich dark brown, almost black.
Marmot
The habitat of marmots is the territory of Europe, Asia, and North America. Currently, scientists identify about 15 varieties of marmots, 8 of them live in Eurasia. Marmots prefer open areas to live, regardless of where they are located - in the mountains or on the plain, they settle in colonies. Marmots live in holes that they dig for themselves.
Rex
REX is a new product on the fur market! Rex (from Latin - king, king) is a unique breed of short-haired rabbits. Rex fur perfectly imitates valuable types of fur: mink, fur seal, chinchilla. It is more wear-resistant than a regular rabbit. Rex fur coats are light, warm and beautiful.
But before you buy anything, it would be a good idea to find out what types of fur coats exist today.
Global fashion gravitates towards democratic trends: down jackets and coats have become mandatory items in the winter wardrobe. But the luxury and status of a natural fur coat will never fade.
Types of fur for fur coats: original solutions
Today, more than two dozen types of fur are used to sew elegant models. They are separated not only by their ability to keep you warm in winter weather, but also by the unspoken scale of elitism accepted throughout the world. The ranking is topped by truly expensive and rare species, such as ermine or chinchilla.
Their cost is affected not only by the reputation of “royal” furs that they have, although they were actually used by crowned heads in their outfits. The exclusivity of fur is also influenced by the fact that chinchilla and ermine are very difficult to breed under artificial conditions.
After all, it’s no secret that almost all fur-bearing animals today are bred on special farms, and a hundred years ago they were caught by hunting. This state of affairs affects the price - now not only the crowned lady can afford a fur coat.
Selection opportunities make it possible to create completely new and original types of fur with new qualities and colors. So everyone’s favorite mink today is presented in a whole range of colors and shades. From snow whites and blues, which are not found in the wild, to gradient colored natural shades of brown.
The development of selection has led to the fact that fur, even the most delicate to the touch, today is characterized by increased wear resistance. And the assurances of a quality manufacturer that the model will serve you for at least ten years have every reason.
The types of fur coats that are available today for every taste appeared on the fashion Olympus due to a variety of circumstances. For example, raccoon, which has always been considered “masculine” and not at all an elite fur, quickly became fashionable with the advent of the automobile boom in America in the mid-20s of the last century. Cars back then were mostly open, without the possibility of heating, and raccoon fur became a forced solution. He was immediately loved by female motorists and became literally a cult car.
Thanks to Hollywood divas, fox fur came into fashion and will forever remain, both classic “fire” and black-brown - it has not left trends for more than half a century. It’s hard to imagine, but the mink was not popular among fashionistas until the 70s of the last century; its finest hour came due to the fact that they learned to breed the animal in captivity.
World fashion has never seen such a variety of offers as today.
The types of fur for fur coats in these photos are only a small part of the current proposals:
Types of natural fur coats and photos of youth trends
Fur fashion lives by its own laws and offers us a wide variety of natural fur coats. There are options that literally become a symbol of their own status, such as models made of sable or chinchilla.
This is an absolute classic and looks best in traditional styles. There are frankly democratic fur options: mouton, astrakhan fur, beaver, rabbit and many others. It is these materials that are the ideal solution for realizing the most daring original design ideas.
This approach is especially important in youth trends, in which the individuality of the image is valued above status. These types of natural fur coats allow you to create an intriguing look and are most suitable for everyday ensembles. Furs that are rare for mass production (and not necessarily expensive) fall into this category. Such, for example, as the "corsac" or the Asian fox. The spectacular fawn color and delicate fluffy texture allow you to create original, trendy fur coats.
The absolute favorites of the most famous designers today are types of fur coats made from natural long-haired goat fur, with an original texture and a very affordable price.
Feminine and even glamorous styles allow you to create squirrels and weasels - distant relatives of martens and minks. They are especially good in flared and oversized models.
Look how diverse the types of fur coats are in these photos:
Wolf and raccoon have always been considered "male" furs. But designers could not ignore their luxurious textures and such models of demonstratively simple shortened styles are unrivaled today.
Short-haired mouton, beaver, rex rabbit of original color are an excellent source material for creating models in the minimalist style. It allows you to work perfectly with volume and silhouette, and create absolutely stylish and current styles.
It is extremely difficult to surprise someone today with the same extremely popular mink, and besides, it’s too expensive models extremely impractical to use every day. In addition, expensive furs there is one, but significant drawback - they visually add age.
But there is an excellent method to emphasize your own individuality - to reconsider stereotypes and pay tribute to fresh trends, when the cost of a model is sometimes “encrypted” in original silhouette finds.
Types of fur coats made from natural fur, such as in the photo, allow in a new way look at your own image:
Types of mink fur for coats from different countries
Several decades ago, mink was supplied in a single and standard version - exclusively in dark shades and classic styles. It was the possibility of selection and types of mink fur for fur coats that made it possible to create completely new trends.
Today there are at least 15 shades of mink alone. Light shades are considered the rarest and most elite, in particular, various tones of white, cream and color Ivory. In any ensemble, such a model will always look elegant and very elegant.
A colossal rarity even at the world's best auctions are skins of the "Violet" shade, a silver-blue hue with a slight gray tint. Among the total volume of furs offered for sale, such a skin turns out to be only one in a hundred.
It is worth noting that the skins are never artificially dyed; all colors are the result of the work of breeders. The same approach is appreciated for any light-colored skins. In rare cases, when achieving a uniform tone, manufacturers resort to gentle bleaching, which does not affect the quality.
New technologies make it possible to obtain the most fantastic shades - from champagne and caramel colors to golden nuts. Also, the result of selection was the appearance of fur, which is called “cross fur”, it is very similar to chinchilla fur - and transfers models made from it to the “luxury” category.
Among dark shades, the reference colors are considered to be the colors of natural North American skins Blackglama and BlackNAFA - rich shades of black.
The Scandinavian Scanblak in deep dark tones of brown and black is valued slightly less highly at the world's best auctions. it is invariably in demand in the annual collections of leading fashion houses. Closing the list of expensive and impeccably high-quality breeds is the so-called “Russian” fur, which is distinguished by spectacular color transitions and play of shades.
It is no coincidence that the types of minks for fur coats are distinguished by country of origin. The market today includes furs from Scandinavia (mostly Finland), as well as the USA and Canada. Geography does not leave its mark on the quality; premium skins and models made from them are selected strictly and carefully. But at the same time they differ in structure.
Skins from America and Canada are distinguished by shorter and stiffer guard hairs, while Scandinavian fur is famous for its long and delicate underfur. The origin of the skins must be indicated in the product certificate, and you can check it by running your hand along and across the growth of the pile. The length of the pile directly affects the strength and wear resistance of the product itself. Models with hard top pile will serve the longest without problems.
The photo below shows types of mink coats worthy of special attention:
Types and types of mink coats of various treatments
Not only selection, but also methods of processing skins have significantly expanded the list of types of mink coats. Particularly popular and in demand today are haircuts, plucking and laser treatment. It’s worth clarifying right away that skins processed by any of these methods become less wear-resistant. This feature is compensated by the fact that, as a rule, fashionable models are made from them, designed not for 10-15 years, but for several seasons. For fans of classics and truly precious varieties of fur, models made from untreated skins remain the best option.
It is worth considering that various ways processing of skins invariably affects their cost. Proper cutting, plucking, and even more so laser processing of the skin is possible only in large-scale production conditions. When shearing and plucking, the hard outer hair is removed and the length of the underfur is equalized. The velvety and delicate structure takes on a completely new appearance; professionals call it “polished”. Such skins are perfect for creating models with clear and precise silhouette lines, such as fitted coats.
Laser processing gives a more rigid structure of the pile, since during processing it is simply burned and thereby leveled. In any case, these types of processing allow the use of dyeing or tinting of skins, which is especially valued when creating avant-garde models. At the same time, the leather fabric must also be dyed; by this sign, a quality product can be distinguished.
In today's trends, fluffy and “cropped” models are presented absolutely equally. Very interesting effects are obtained by combining shorn, ground and fluffy skins, which are used to create luxurious collars, cuffs or hoods.
In many ways, the types and types of mink coats are determined by the method of their assembly. The most respectable result is obtained by the so-called “plate method”, when the skins are collected in large blocks of uniform color and size. Straight silhouette models are especially good in this design.
But for flared styles, such as the classic trapezoid, the vertical assembly method is best suited - it allows you to emphasize the texture of the fur, and thanks to the style, its luxury.
A fashionable technique that is used to create “”, “dress” or “kimono” styles that are very relevant in youth trends is the transverse gathering of skins. It significantly enriches the color and texture scheme and perfectly emphasizes rare, especially pastel, shades of fur.
