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furriery
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furriery

fur industry
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Quick Summary

Fur refers to the fine, soft, hairy coat of mammals, historically valued for warmth and decoration. True furs consist of a dense undercoat (ground hair) for insulation and longer guard hairs for protection. The fur industry involves breeding or trapping animals for their pelts, which are used to create garments like coats, stoles, and hats.1

The process of furriery includes dressing the pelts (cleaning, softening, fleshing, tanning) and then skillfully cutting and sewing them into finished products. While luxury furs come from animals like sable and chinchilla, other commercially important furs are derived from animals such as mink, fox, rabbit, and squirrel.1

In recent decades, the fur industry has faced significant ethical debate and activism from animal-rights groups concerned about the humane treatment of animals in fur farming and trapping. Conversely, some argue that a well-regulated fur industry can be sustainable and that alternatives like faux fur, often made from plastics, can have a greater negative environmental impact. Fur also holds cultural and economic importance for some Indigenous communities.2345

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
6 Britannica Sources
  1. fur
  2. Words We're Watching: 'Furry' and 'Fursona'
  3. Fur Clothing Bans - Pro 3: Banning fur clothing, real or fake, will help legitimize humane fashion alternatives.
  4. Fur Clothing Bans - Pro 1: Raising animals for fur is inhumane.
  5. Fur Clothing Bans - Con 2: Fur alternatives are bad for the environment, while a humane fur industry is sustainable.
  6. Fur Clothing Bans - Con 3: Consumers are opting for non-fur alternatives without bans, which harm related industries in Indigenous communities and the developing world.

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