No Label in the Coat? Here’s How to Identify Furs

Fur coats have been the most popular winter clothing for centuries and have become prized family heirlooms. It adds spice to your outfit and is amongst the most favorite winter clothing of all time. Fur has many varieties and styles that you can add to your outfit. However, if your fur coat does not have a label, you can still find whether it is made of real or artificial fur through some tips, which we will discuss in this blog.

People love wearing fur for various reasons. Firstly, it is timeless. You can wear an old plus size furs coat, and you will not look outdated. Fur coats never go out of fashion, and you can style them in various ways. It is a versatile piece of clothing, and you can pair it with multiple looks, from a casual ripped jeans look to an evening gown look. It is durable, and if taken care of properly, it can last longer. You can further pass it to future generations. There are different types of fur, and the tag indicates which type it is. But, if the is missing, it can be very difficult to identify. However, it is not impossible, and here we will guide you through and help you identify the right fur.

In addition, real fur comes from an animal’s coat. They usually come from animals like foxes, otters, rabbits, raccoons, and mink. People use it mainly for outerwear, decoration purposes, and different accessories. It all depends on the animal the fur is taken from because a rare animal’s fur coat will be comparatively expensive. However, people often use faux fur in place of real one as well because it is relatively cheaper. Not just women but men also use them, and people identify them through certain features.

Identifying Different Types of Fur

There are different tactics and ways through which you can identify the right type of fur. Below we have shortlisted the most accurate and common practices that can help you identify fur coats:

1. Texture

Blue Iris Mink Coat Indigo Fox Fronts

Image alt text: A woman wears a stylish blue iris mink coat

The texture of the fur is different for sable and mink coats. If you feel the texture, mink and sable are extremely shiny and soft. Mink has smooth, tinted fur. At the same time, sable is silky and lightweight. If you feel all the animal furs, they are mostly coarse when you push the fur upward against its grain. In contrast, sable and mink fur are soft in texture. People use these furs primarily for hats, collars, sleeves, and stoles because they are rare and expensive compared to other types.

Mink furs are short and flat because the animal itself is very tiny, no bigger than the size of a squirrel. This fur type has narrow and long pelts when joined together to create a piece of clothing. It looks very shiny and wet because the animal can swim so, the hair looks almost like aquatic skin.

2. Thickness

Pre-Owned Fox Vest Leather Trim

Image alt text: A woman dons Pre-Owned Fox Vest Leather Trim that makes her look stylish

Focus on the thickness of the fur. Furs made out of raccoon and otter are the thickest and have many layers of hair. These furs are incredibly durable and perfect for outerwear. You might not find the hair soft like sable and mink coats, but they provide the best warmth from the extreme winter season. Otter fur helps in making various items like sportswear, boots, hats, and coat. In contrast, raccoon furs are used only for coats and hats. They usually come in colors like light brown, tan, black, grey, dark brown, and silver.

3. Usage

Purple Blue Rex Rabbit Jacket

Image alt text: Woman wears a blue coat made out of rabbit fur

There are certain furs that are used more frequently as compared to other types. These are rabbit and fox furs because they’re used for multiple items like stoles, gloves, coats, rug hangings, and hats. Fox fur is much longer as compared to other woodland creatures with soft fur. Furthermore, they are used as trim on different gloves and hats, hems, cuffs, and collars. Rabbits and foxes are those animals that can easily breed for fur and can be sold easily. Their fur is soft and has a medium length. They can be seen in various colors like blue, yellow, white, silver-grey, black, tan, dark brown, and olive green.

4. Water Resistance

Most of the furs are not water-resistant. But, there are two types of furs, i.e., ring seals and harp, that are water-resistant, and you can wear them during rainy or windy weather. You might not find them warm compared to other fur coats because they don’t have a layer of fur underneath them. But, they are extremely durable. Seal fur is used for different clothing like vests, skirts, purses, pants, coats. They come in various shades of white and brown and blend well with any outfit.

However, there are other types of furs that you can identify through the following tips and tricks:

• A chinchilla coat is very soft and has a greyish blue color. It stands out because of its unique color. It’s insulating and smooth because of its high hair density. It is not easy to sew a chinchilla coat because of its thickness, which makes it very expensive as well.
• A coyote fur is very creamy and dense in nature. It is mostly used for men’s jackets. It comes in grey or tan colors.
• An ermine fur is white and black in color. Its hair is incredibly silky and is a type of weasel.
• A fur made out of lamb is lightweight and shiny. It has a wavy pattern all over, and the hair is comparatively longer and curly. It mostly comes in white color but can also be black, brown or grey.
• A lynx fur is also white in color and very furry. It is one of the most expensive and rare furs on the market. You are extremely lucky if you’re successful in finding a lynx coat. It looks very different and is not like the regular furs. You can identify if the fur is white in color with some light grey and black spotting. It is comparatively costlier than other furs. The most important thing about lynx, which makes it rare and expensive, is the fact that it doesn’t shed its hair.
• A marten fur is long and silky. The color mainly ranges between gold and dark brown.
• A fur made out of opossum is coarse in texture. Such furs are very short and woolly in nature. They are mostly used for men’s liners or coats.

Conclusion

Now since you’ve understood the different dynamics of every fur coat, you can easily identify the real ones in the market. However, if you’re still unsure or confused about a particular fur coat, take it to a professional furrier to have a look at the fur and identify its type. Bring it to our nearest stores, and we will help you understand it closely. We provide alterations and repairs if you want to fix yours. Visit our store or contact us for more information on how we can help you!