November 2022
A prized possession, a symbol of wealth and luxury, a favorite winter garment throughout millennia: fur coats are not only used to keep us warm, but as a timeless piece of beauty, style, and class.
But, as a fur enthusiast, how do you identify the different types of fur? How do you tell them apart?
Here is our fur identification guide on how tell what kind of fur coat you have, even with a missing tag.
Keep reading to find out about the different kinds of fur, their characteristics and how to identify them.
What are the most widely used fur types?
Before going into specifics, let’s see some of the most common fur types you may find online.
Types of fur coats
- Mink fur
- Fox fur
- Astrakhan fur
- Lynx fur
- Chinchilla fur
- Raccoon fur
- Beaver fur
- Fisher fur
- Marten fur
- Rabbit fur
When it comes to the most expensive types of fur coats, lynx, chinchilla, and sable are considered some of the priciest options today.
There are, however, several fur types that came at more reasonable prices, such as fox, mink, beaver, racoon, rabbit and more.
Chinchilla Fur – A silky fur like no other
The chinchilla fur and its elegantly soft texture has recently surpassed other types of fur coats and there’s a valid reason behind this: few other animals have a higher hair density than chinchillas, which have more than 20.000 hairs per square centimeter! Practically, this means that the chinchilla fur is inhabitable to parasites, which adds to its value.
As a result, chinchilla fur coats are dense, silky, and warm, despite being very light in weight.
Although mutation chinchilla fur colors are produced today, the slate-blue/silvery gray one is the most prominent. Typically, the particular fur type has a gradient color, lighter on top and with a darker underfur.
As we’ve already seen, chinchilla fur is among the most expensive fur types as it is a fragile and difficult material to work with.
Fox Fur – Variants for every budget
Fox fur comes in a plethora of natural colors, varying from the typical red one (the most common and least expensive) to platina and white, which are considered the most expensive, including dyed high-fashion colors as well. Its multifaceted nature is probably what makes it so popular, as its variations fit different budgets and styles.
Although its farming flourished in the US, today fox furs mostly come from Scandinavian countries.
As a type of fur, fox shows different characteristics depending on the exact type. For example, the white (polar) fox has an extremely thick undercoat and may require bleaching to prevent yellow undertones.
Mink fur – timeless elegance that will last a lifetime
When it comes to different types of fur, for many women and fur manufacturers around the world, mink fur is considered a top choice.
Today, minks are mainly bred in farms and ranches in the US, and only but a few are trapped – farmed animals are considered to have superior fur, both in terms of quality and color.
What also plays an important role is whether the animal is male or female: female minks are smaller and have softer, lighter pelts, meaning more female skins are needed for a coat.
If you feel the texture of a mink fur, you will realize that it is incredibly soft, shiny, and richly smooth.
If you want to know whether you have a mink fur coat or not, consider the following: As a type of fur, mink furs are shorter in length and flat, but also warm and lightweight.
Their texture is very shiny, almost looking wet. Due to the small size of the animal and its high price, you usually find mink fur used for collars, sleeves, and pockets – making a coat made entirely of mink fur a rather expensive choice.
Lynx Fur – A symbol of wealth and status
Associated with the rich and famous, lynx fur has been a favorite for decades and is considered a fur with high status.
For this reason, lynx is among the most expensive types of fur coats one can buy, together with chinchilla and Russian sable.
Seductive, durable, and highly desirable, lynx fur coats are also hard to produce because you can only use the belly part of the animal to create the fur. Besides being the rarest and most expensive fur in the market, lynx is also highly silky and soft in texture, and does not shed!
Other types of fur coats include beaver, racoon, and rabbit, which are considered less expensive yet offer all the advantages of fur as well – they are voluminous, flexible, and appear extremely durable!
Now that you’ve read our fur identification guide, what type of fur will you choose?
Note that different types of fur can elevate different outfits – some may be considered best for everyday looks, while others would be better worn in special occasions only.
No matter what you fur of choice is, eFurs can design and create the perfect coat for you.
Browse our vast online collection to find the fur coat that best suits your preferences and let us create a timeless piece that will make heads turn!
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