Kids Faux Fur Coonskin Davy Crockett

Depending on the type of faux fur you desire, it can be quite silky and can also be greyish/black in color. Faux fur comes in many different fur types and can be easily mistaken for the real thing. It is silky smooth and provides great insulation, making for a great fur alternative.

Sometimes the quality depends on where you buy it so we always recommend well known sources where you can get real fur and faux fur.

Sheepskin Designer Rugs

No natural or man-made fiber possesses the virtues of 100% sheepskin. It is fur: leather skin on one side with wool fur on the other. It iscool in summer and warm in the winter. Its fibers breathe to act just like a natural thermostat for your body. These fibers are hollow, and can absorb up to 30% of their own weight in moisture without feeling wet, keeping you perfectly dry, regardless of the weather.

Ounce for ounce, sheepskin is stronger than steel. Your sheepskin items will last for years, with minimum care, by brushing and shaking them out or by vacuuming. Impossible to copy synthetically, sheepskin and it’s wool fibers offer an astounding list of natural qualities.

• Sheepskin wool does not shed, because it’s attached to the skin. It’s not woven and then brushed up, like wool pile fabric. Sheepskin wool is embedded into the leather.
• Naturally resists snags, tears, wrinkles, soiling and pilling
• Drapes beautifully; never sags and retains shape.
• Is water resistant, static-free, flame resistant, and wind proof
• Stays warm even when wet.
• Is a natural moisturizer due to the high content of lanolin in the wool.
• Sheepskin is washable – can be hand or gently machine-washed

Where do I get sheepskin?

Ivory White Sheepskin Rug

There are several sheepskin stores out there, but this one gives you quality products and affordable prices, including medical sheepskin, sheepskin rugs, designer rugs and other accessories (sheepskin gloves, sheepskin hats, sheepskin slippers, etc…)

Enjoy Sheepskin Town (http://www.sheepskintown.com)

Note from the store:
Our sheepskin products come primarily from sheep that were raised for their food value and not their hides. Sheepskin is a recycled by-product and no endangered species skins are used in our products.

Tanned Fur Pelts, Skins & Hides

Furs come from almost every part of the world. The chief exporters are the Scandinavian countries, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Russia, and China. United States furs include mink, fox, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, sable, fisher, lynx, nutria, opossum, coyote, chinchilla, and rabbit. Leading fur-producing states are Alaska, Louisiana, Utah, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Iowa, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Animals are either bred for their fur or are trapped. They are seldom shot for their fur because of possible damage to the pelts.

Trapping
In colonial America, most of the furs were supplied by Indians and white trappers who spent their winters tending lines of traps. Today, most trapping is done by woodsmen and by farmers who operate trap lines to supplement their incomes. The most important trapping areas in North America are Canada, the northern United States (including Alaska), and Louisiana. Trapping is closely regulated by state and provincial governments.

Fur Farms
Approximately 90 per cent of the furs used by the United States fur industry are from fur farms. Mink, fox, chinchilla, nutria, and rabbit are raised there. The animals are fed a well-balanced diet. Animals selected for pelts are placed in individual enclosures, called furring pens, in the fall. Here their fur reaches its prime (best quality) condition.

via: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/fur-info1.htm

Mink Jacket with detatchable Fox Fur Hood - Brown

A mink coat is the coat to many women – and to growing numbers of men. Mink are a member of the weasel family. Although they are found in the wild almost everywhere in North America and in some other parts of the world, the majority of mink are ranched. Very few wild mink are trapped any more because ranched mink are so superior in quality and color. American mink are the finest in the world, thanks to scientific breeding and rearing.

Female mink are smaller and have softer, lighter pelts than the males. Consequently, more female skins are needed for a coat than male skins. It is just as warm, however, although the weight may be less.

Mink is worked in many ways, and every part of the skin is used. It is a very durable fur that can last twenty years or more with care, depending on the quality. Prime quality skins are used natural and will wear the best. Dyed mink represents lesser quality skins – and both the lesser quality and the dyeing mean that it won’t wear as well.

Natural ranch mink: The guard hairs should be silky and even in length, while the underfur should be dense and compact and paler in color. The mink should have a naturally lustrous sheen.

Mutation mink: Again, the guard hairs should be silky and even in length. The color should be clear and uniform. The price depends on the availability – and popularity – of colors. At times, natural ranch mink may be more expensive.

Pieced mink: A coat may be made, wholly or partially, of paws, gills and tails. It may also contain other pieces of mink. If the coat is patterned, such as to give a chevron effect, look for evenness of pattern and texture throughout the coat. Pieced coats may not wear as well as whole skin coats, because of the many seams. A good pieced mink coat should be reinforced on the leather side with nylon or ribbon at points of wear. Pieced mink coats can be very attractive, and they are much less expensive than natural mink coats that are let out or skin-on-skin.

Broadtail: Broadtail is the most perishable and one of the most expensive kinds of lamb. It is best for a second fur. It is used in coats (usually very dressy) but, because of its thin, soft leather and fine short hair, it is also used in “fantasy furs”. A broadtail evening suit, for example, would be the ultimate in broadtail – and fur – apparel and fashion. Broadtail comes from stillborn and unborn lambs of karakul sheep. The sheep aren’t killed for their lambs, which is one reason broadtail is exclusive and expensive. Broadtail has a silky texture and fine moiré or watered-silk pattern. Natural gray broadtail wears the best, with natural brown broadtail wearing next best. Black broadtail is dyed, and, like all dyed furs, wears least well, as is the case with the high-fashion colors that broadtail can also be dyed.

Broadtail (American processed): American processed broadtail is made from pelts of a certain kind of lamb that have been sheared near the skin to give the distinctive moiré pattern of natural broadtail. It is more durable than broadtail, since the skins aren’t as thin, and is less expensive. It may be left its natural color or dyed other colors. The shearing should be close enough to the skin that the moiré pattern doesn’t have a curl.

Karakul: See Persian lamb.

Mongolian lamb: This lamb has long, wavy, silky hair. It is sporty and attractive in coats and jackets, but needs special care because it can turn frizzy in wet weather. It is usually left its natural “lamb” color (off-white) or is bleached white.

Mouton lamb: Mouton lamb is sheared sheepskin. The hair is straightened, treated, and set to make a soft, water-repellent, close fur that may be dyed black or brown to imitate Alaska or northern fur seal or beaver. It may also be dyed other colors, although the natural color is generally off-white.

Shearling: Shearling is natural sheepsking that has been sheared (similar to mouton lamb), while the leather side has been sueded. The fur, or sheared, side is worn next to the skin. Shearling is the shepherd’s coat that’s traditional to many eastern European and Asian countries from Hungary to Afghanistan and points east. These coats are often embroidered on the suede side, and the fur side may have longer hair. Shearlings are also “traditional” jackets for western cowboys and ranchers. The coats and jackets, made mainly in California, are casual, sporty, and long wearing, as well as inexpensive. The shearling side tends to be more closely sheared than on shepherds’ coats. They do need care to keep the sueded side soft and clean and the lamb side from matting, although the best American shearlings will not spot from rain.

Persian lamb: Persian lamb is also called karakul, or caracul. It used to be called astrakhan as well. The sheep are raised for their meat and wool in the former Soviet Union, Afghanistan, and other countries in that area, but they are also raised in Namibia as well. Persian lamb from the last area listed is trademarked Swakara. Bukhara is the finest Russian Persian lamb. Broadtail is lamb that is stillborn or unborn. Persian broadtail is lamb that is a few days old or less. Persian lamb (karakul, Swakara, and Bukhara) is lamb that is not older than 10 days. The difference in age allows the fur to develop from the moiré pattern to a tight, close curl. After that age, the fur gets longer and begins to lose the distinctive curl. Persian lamb goes in and out of fashion in the United States, but it has long been one of the most popular furs in Europe, especially Germany. The best-wearing Persian lambs are the natural browns, grays, and whites. Black Persian lamb is dyed to avoid the whiteness of the natural leather from showing through the curls. Persian lamb today, thanks to better breeding, comes in a wider range of natural colors and is lighter in weight than even a few years ago.

Tibet lamb: This lamb is similar to Mongolian lamb, except the silky hair is longer – as long as three to four inches – and may be frizzier. It, too, is off-white, although it can be dyed, and needs special care to keep it from frizzing unattractively. Both Mongolian and Tibet lamb can be straightened if they become too frizzy.

Though ushanka hats are a distinctly Russian hat, indeed, the stereotypical Russian is seen to wear one, the wearing of fur hats of similar design is common throughout China, North Korea, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It is possible that Russians adopted this design from Mongols during the Middle Age Mongol invasion of Russia.

Russian hats are often made from rabbit fur and muskrat fur, though other animal fur, such as beaver fur or coyote fur, are not uncommon for Russian hats, with particularly fine examples being made of mink fur, raccoon fur, or high-quality sheepskin.

The worldwide demand for Russian fur hat styles has prompted us to make it a priority to offer it in all the top furs. This season the Russian hat style for men is being shown by highly recognized designers from around the world, they are a hot commodity.

You can get more info about ushanka hats in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushanka

Fox wears well, although it needs regular cleaning and care to keep the fur fluffy and the skins soft and supple. The price depends on the popularity, but red (the most common) fox is the least expensive, with platina and white the most expensive. Clarity of color is important in fox, as is the fullness and density of the underfur and soft sleekness of the guard hairs. Fox is also dyed high-fashion colors.

Blue fox: Blue fox is ranched extensively in Scandinavia. The color ranges from a blue brown to a real blue, as well as white with blue highlights.

Cross fox: The name comes from the distinctive cruciform marking in the head and neck region of the fox. The color is basically red fox with yellow tints, while the cross is deeper in color with the red mixed with black. Some cross foxes are silver in color and are called silver cross fox.

Gray fox: Most gray fox is American, with the best pelts coming from the northern states. It is silver gray with a slight tinge of red.

Kitt fox or corsac: North American kitt foxes are gray fox. In addition, there is corsac, which comes from Siberia and other places in the former Soviet Union. In comparison to other foxes, it has little guard hair. What guard hair it does have is yellow with white tips, although the fur tends to be short and soft. Corsac fox is less well-wearing than most other foxes.

Platina fox: The platina color was originally bred in Norway. It is a much lighter platinum color than silver fox, and the whiteness may be enhanced by slight bleaching.

Red fox: Red fox is native to every continent with the exception of South America. The best red fox comes from northern climates and is deeply furred with silky, strong texture.

Silver fox: Silver fox is entirely ranched. The fur is blue black in color with a white tip on the tail. The best silver fox is a true silver color with a black stripe.

White fox: This fox has extremely thick underfur. There may be a slight blue shade along the back of the pelt. Like all white furs, it may require bleaching to preventing its turning yellow. It is less wearable than the more common kinds of foxes, although it is the ultimate in glamor.

via: Fur Hat World

Brightener added
Just like hair, fur color and luster can be enhanced with special treatments.

Dyeing
The sky is the limit when it comes to color. In addition to natural tones, all furs can now be dyed in a wide range of exciting and beautiful hues. Dyeing is sometimes also used to correct any imperfections and to improve uniformity. Sometimes the pelt is bleached white before color is added.

Fur Layers
Guard hair is the long, lustrous layer of a fur; it protects the underfur (or duvet), which provides warmth and insulation.

Guard Hair
Long, lustrous outer hair that protects the underfur.

Knitted Fur
Knittable yarn is now produced by combining narrow strips of fur with silk or cottin yarn; fur yarn is now used in myrias techniques including crocheting, weaving and knitting to produce soft, cozy apparel. Some knitted furs are now machine washable!

Leathering
Strips of fur are alternated with leather, cloth or ribbon for unique fashion effects and increased lightness.

Letting Out
Cutting the pelt into diagonal strips and resewing it to make the pelt longer and narrower. Sometimes referred to as dropping out. The effect is supple and smooth flowing.

Mutation
Natural furs of special colors that are produced by selective breeding.

Plucking
To emphasize the velvet underhair of the fur, guard hair is selectively plucked for various effects.

Shearing
This technique is used to trim fur to a short pile, sometimes as low as 5 mm, to reduce bulkiness and weight while creating intricate sculptural patterns in the fur.

Shearling
Natural lamb pelts with the leather side often sueded and worn on the outside.

Skin-on-Skin
Rectangular pelts are sewn together to create a box effect as an alternative to the letting out process.

Special Effects
As designers explore fur’s infinite versatility, they are increasingly treating it with the same creativity as fabric. Their innovative technique continue to surprise and delight: fur is intricately draped, beaded, embroidered, pierced, laser cut, stenciled, fringed…

Tip-Dyeing
Sometimes called blending. Dye is applied only to the tips of guard hairs to produce more color uniformity.

Underfur
The underhair covered by guard hairs. This is the layer of the fur that acts as insulation to provide warmth.

You can see the original article here

Unless you have a very delicate fur like chinchilla, your fur hat is a fairly durable item and simply must be treated with common sense.  Furs like cold, hate heat.  They don’t like friction, or chemicals.  They like space, and to be cleaned. – but, only by a fur professional.

Give it a good home. Be sure to store your hat in a closet that is not exposed to light (which will fade your fur) or heat. Make sure it has room to breathe and is not crushed by other garments.

Avoid insecticides, mothproofing, and other chemicals around on your fur, including perfume, hairspray and makeup.  Perfume contains alcohol, which can dry your pelts. Once a perfume gets into your fur-including cedar from a cedar chest- it will be there to stay.
If your fur gets wet, don’t panic.  Most furs can handle snow and a light rain with ease. Shake it out and hang it to dry in a well ventilated room. Please resist the temptation to speed the drying process with a hairdryer or near a heat source.  Remember furs do not like heat.  After it dries you can then shake it again. Comb or brush it gently if the hairs seem a little bristly.  If your fur has been soaked thru, however, take it immediately to your fur retailer for proper treatment.

In the off season it doesnt hurt to send your fur hat to your local furrier for professional storage. This is optional but will ensure your hat stays in good condition through the warm months.

If your fur hat gets dirty have it cleaned by a professional fur cleaner. Besides just cleaning, this conditions your fur.  Glazing is a process that replenishes oils to maintain a furs longevity. You may consider taking your hat to a furrier for glazing if you find that it needs to be refreshed.

Suede and leather can be hard to clean. It is advised that you have suede cleaned professionally. However there are a few steps you can take if the light soil is not too bad:Rub suede with a clean dry towel – always rub suede in one direction.Remove the stains or marks by gently rubbing them with a pencil eraser.Brush your suede with a suede brush, which has soft bristles with wire inserts (most stores sell this in the shoe area for suede shoes).