Fur clothing
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Fur clothing is clothing made entirely of, or partially of, the fur of animals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing, becoming widely used as humans left Africa and entered cooler regions. Modern cultures continue to wear fur and fur trim as dictated by fashion trends. Although it was once one of the most common forms of clothing many people consider fur a luxury item. The term "a fur" is often used to refer to a fur coat, wrap, or shawl.
History and Usage
Fur is generally thought to have been among the first materials used for clothing and bodily decoration. The exact date when clothes were first used is debated (see Clothes). Several species of hominoids including Homo sapiens and Homo neandertalis used fur clothing.Whatever its form (mink, fox, chinchilla, rabbit, seal, sheepskin, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, etc), fur clothing is worn in virtually every country. They are especially popular in colder countries due to their excellent insulation. The Eskimo peoples of the Arctic relied on fur for most of their clothing, and it also forms a part of traditional Russian, Scandinavian and Japanese clothing. Today, winter clothes such as scarves and coats or coat trimmings are the garments most commonly made from fur.
Animal furs used in garments and trim may be dyed bright colors or to mimic exotic animal patterns: alternatively they may be left their original pattern and colour. Fur may be shorn down to imitate the feel of a soft velvet fabric.
Fur Industry
Common animal sources for fur clothing and fur trimmed accessories include:
- fox
- wolf
- rabbit
- mink [Fur Commission USA]; [European Fur Breeders' Association]
- beaver [Fur Institute of Canada]
- ermine
- otter
- sable
- raccoon
- coyote
- chinchilla [Empress Chinchlla Breeders Association]
- seal: Import and sale of seal products is currently banned in the U.S..
- domestic cat and domestic dog: Import, export and sales banned in the U.S. in 2000 (Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 [link])
Most fur is obtained from animals farmed specifically for the purpose, primarily mink and fox. Many animals, however, particularly beaver and seal, are taken from the wild for their fur, meat, oil and other products. Animals on fur farms are killed by methods recommended by veterinarians as detailed in an AVMA report.[link]
The manufacturing of fur clothing involves obtaining animal pelts where the hair is left on the animal's processed skin. In contrast, leather made from any animal hide involves removing the fur from the skin and using only the tanned skin. The use of wool involves shearing the animal's hair from the living animal, so that the wool can be regrown. Fake fur or "faux fur" designates any synthetic material, produced from oil, that attempts to mimic the appearance and feel of real fur.
The chemical treatment of fur to increase its felting quality is known as carroting, as the process tends to turn the tips of the fur a yellowish-red "carrot like" colour.
Controversy
Anti-fur campaigns reached a peak in the 1980s and 1990s, with the participation of numerous celebrities, some of whom have since been seen in fur clothing. Record prices for fur pelts demonstrate fur's durable appeal.[link]
Animal welfare advocates object to the trapping and killing of wildlife, and the confinement and killing of animals on "fur farms," when many synthetic "faux fur" alternatives are available. On the other hand, genuine fur sales in the U.S. are strong and natural fiber fur remains popular around the world.
Fur advocates will boast about its warmth, style, and the fact that it's a 100% renewable resource. Many will also argue that it is superior to fake fur which is a petroleum product and is therefore harmful to the environment where as a real fur garment is completely biodegradable.
One of the most controversial areas of the fur industry is the annual seal hunt held in Canada. Many have criticised the hunt as being cruel: however, defenders of the hunt and the Canadian government biologists state that it is humane and sustainable. In Canada, a [2000 government survery] showed two thirds of Canadians supported the seal hunt as regulated under Canadian law. Three quarters of Canadians were not opposed to the seal hunt after being informed of these regulations, one quarter was.
Products from all marine mammals, even from abundant populations and regulated hunts such as the Canadian seal hunt, are banned in the United States.[link]
Fur fetishes
The soft, warm texture of fur appeals to many people; for some, the attraction becomes a fur fetishism, a fetishistic attraction to people wearing fur, or in certain cases, to the fur garments themselves.References
3. [Caged Fur: The Inside Story], Humane Society of the United States, 1998.4. Ibid.
5. [Fur Stats and Links], Fur Commission USA's Press Kit.
6. [International Fur Trade Federation] Fast facts.
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