Ah, the warm, soft luxury of real fur. There's a reason your fur throw or blanket feels so soft and warm. Fur's purpose over the many years has been to keep mammals, including humans toasty and dry with layers of insulating hairs. Man-made products used in synthetic or fake fur production, tend not to deliver the same coziness.
Through long adaptation to extreme environments, some animals that live in those regions have developed fur coats that can keep them warm through the most severe winters. As an example, caribou fur is hollow and very dense, so warm air is trapped both inside the individual hairs as well as amongst them. Hollow or not, all animal fur also permits our skin to breathe, thus producing less chilling perspiration. The real warmth from fur is derived from the combination of the thickness of the pelt, the density of the undercoat, and the insulation provided by the top coat which keeps the undercoat dry.
Residents of very cold climes such as Alaska or the Arctic know that ice will not thaw and then refreeze on real fur the way it does on synthetics. Since most of us will not live in the very extreme climates, this may not seem immediately relevant, but for those who reside in those regions, the wildlife that are dependent upon that property for their ability to withstand the cold, and visitors of those areas, this is very significant. For the rest of us, it's unquestionably more convenient to not have to deal with icing when sporting a fur coat, vest or hat in snowy conditions.
Real fur is considered by many to be more environmentally responsible than the alternative. Synthetic fur is made of fibers consisting of artificial chemical substances, such as nylon or polyester, which are petroleum-based. It has been documented that producing merely three fake fur jackets requires one gallon of oil! What's more, synthetic fur products are not biodegradable, renewable or recyclable. Similar to plastic grocery bags, once they're thrown away, they will just remain buried in landfills without breaking down, and they have a much shorter shelf life, so the quantities that may ultimately end up in landfills is significant.
On the other hand, a luxurious fur throw or classic fur coat is more like a family treasure. If properly cared for, it is something beautiful that can be passed down through the generations. And when its life as a garment is at an end, it can be recycled into special pillows or returned to the the planet in a continual cycle of planet renewal.
The knowledgeable fur shopper knows that there are two ways to differentiate real from fake:
Check the backing: the genuine article will resemble smooth suede leather and is stitched together in strips or sections, like a patchwork quilt. Synthetic fur backing presents a uniform, ribbed appearance.
Do the "burn test": Trim off some fibers and burn them. Synthetics ignite easily and burn fast. The result is a lump of burnt plastic-smelling stuff. It is much harder to burn fur, which crinkles into a fine ash substance that smells like burnt human hair.
For those investing in fur, it's smart to be conscientious when shopping. Low cost almost never implies best quality, and this is definitely true for furs originating in Asia. As an example, in China, garments marked Asian Jackal or Asiatic Raccoon are most likely created from dog fur.
If you've decided to opt for real fur, seek out a reputable furrier, read your labels and ask questions about the dealer's sources. Then enjoy!
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
Through long adaptation to extreme environments, some animals that live in those regions have developed fur coats that can keep them warm through the most severe winters. As an example, caribou fur is hollow and very dense, so warm air is trapped both inside the individual hairs as well as amongst them. Hollow or not, all animal fur also permits our skin to breathe, thus producing less chilling perspiration. The real warmth from fur is derived from the combination of the thickness of the pelt, the density of the undercoat, and the insulation provided by the top coat which keeps the undercoat dry.
Residents of very cold climes such as Alaska or the Arctic know that ice will not thaw and then refreeze on real fur the way it does on synthetics. Since most of us will not live in the very extreme climates, this may not seem immediately relevant, but for those who reside in those regions, the wildlife that are dependent upon that property for their ability to withstand the cold, and visitors of those areas, this is very significant. For the rest of us, it's unquestionably more convenient to not have to deal with icing when sporting a fur coat, vest or hat in snowy conditions.
Real fur is considered by many to be more environmentally responsible than the alternative. Synthetic fur is made of fibers consisting of artificial chemical substances, such as nylon or polyester, which are petroleum-based. It has been documented that producing merely three fake fur jackets requires one gallon of oil! What's more, synthetic fur products are not biodegradable, renewable or recyclable. Similar to plastic grocery bags, once they're thrown away, they will just remain buried in landfills without breaking down, and they have a much shorter shelf life, so the quantities that may ultimately end up in landfills is significant.
On the other hand, a luxurious fur throw or classic fur coat is more like a family treasure. If properly cared for, it is something beautiful that can be passed down through the generations. And when its life as a garment is at an end, it can be recycled into special pillows or returned to the the planet in a continual cycle of planet renewal.
The knowledgeable fur shopper knows that there are two ways to differentiate real from fake:
Check the backing: the genuine article will resemble smooth suede leather and is stitched together in strips or sections, like a patchwork quilt. Synthetic fur backing presents a uniform, ribbed appearance.
Do the "burn test": Trim off some fibers and burn them. Synthetics ignite easily and burn fast. The result is a lump of burnt plastic-smelling stuff. It is much harder to burn fur, which crinkles into a fine ash substance that smells like burnt human hair.
For those investing in fur, it's smart to be conscientious when shopping. Low cost almost never implies best quality, and this is definitely true for furs originating in Asia. As an example, in China, garments marked Asian Jackal or Asiatic Raccoon are most likely created from dog fur.
If you've decided to opt for real fur, seek out a reputable furrier, read your labels and ask questions about the dealer's sources. Then enjoy!
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Rights Reserved.
About the Author:
For high quality, real fur blankets author Stephen Daniels highly recommends the high quality products produced by Trailside Traditions. The owner has been in this business for more than 20 years, and takes pride in the quality of the fur he uses, and gets from his environmentally responsible suppliers.
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