Why fur is so socially charged? It's loud and easy to spot, for one. These days, though, the messages once communicated by fake or realness have been diluted by the fact that it's so difficult to tell the difference.
Global sales of real fur are on the rise, but fakes are trending, too: Look at runways and you'll see lots of Teddy-bear-esque styles, at department-store brands like Coach as well as up-and-coming labels like Shrimps.
Last year, Isa Arfen actually made a sky-blue coat from the fabric used in Steiff teddy bears. When everything looks like it could be on the set of Sesame Street , it's difficult to tell what's made of what, and no one seems to be very worried. Fur has always been a tactile fabric. The fact that most of what we see of fashion is now communicated by image rather than touch—on blogs as well as social media channels—likely plays a role in the look of new furs, real and fake.
If few except those who buy them touch them, there's less of a point in obsessing over the direction of the follicle up-close. Does your fur still reveal "the kind of woman you are"? PETA protestors, Since people had been trading animal fur throughout most of recorded history, the introduction of man-made alternatives in the early 20th century certainly brought tension to the clothing industry. However, a leader in the faux fur industry went on to explain that that a woman who buys a pricey coat of real fur will have to pay for its upkeep and eventually alter the style to keep up with new fashions.
On the other hand, she could buy a new artificial one each year to keep up with styles and not pay as much money. By the s, synthetic fur garments had become extremely popular and affordable, coinciding with the age of plastics, microwave dinners and other conveniences of the modern age.
Newspapers continuously reported on major chemical companies that were trying to outdo each other in the quest to create the most realistic and luxurious fake fur, patenting new fibers and methods and selling their signature faux skins under flashy brand names, such as Cloud No. In the s, young women were ready to shed the traditions and the mink coats of their mothers. In addition to the growing need for new styles at affordable prices, the faux fur industry also benefited from the anti-fur movements of the s.
The popularity of natural fur has gone up and down over the years, arguably profiting the most from the pro-fur stance of fashion dictator Anna Wintour, who has been famously called a " fur hag " by anti-fur protestors. However, after Vogue Paris published an homage to faux fur in August and Gucci joined other animal-friendly labels by announcing its commitment to being completely fur-free months later, it seems like faux fur may have now found a permanent place on the runways, especially with more brands than ever selling faux options at a variety of price points.
In addition to more companies eschewing natural fur and more countries banning fur production, the future of the faux fur industry may soon benefit from advances in biotechnology. It's been reported that designer Ingvar Helgason formerly of the brand Ostwald Helgason is developing BioFur , which would grow synthetic pelts the way that Modern Meadow has been able to produce lab-grown leather and Diamond Foundry creates lab-grown diamonds. But not everyone believes that faux fur is the most "eco-friendly" option.
In a recent debate on the fur trade hosted by Business of Fashion , Frank Zilberkweit, director of the British Fur Trade Association, argued that natural fur was more sustainable, pointing out that many forms of faux fur are not biodegradable. Others argue that the chemical processes needed to treat animal furs in order to be worn are just as detrimental to the environment.
Will faux fur ever replace the real thing? Common animal sources for fur clothing and fur trimmed accessories include fox, rabbit, mink, raccoon dogs, muskrat, beaver, stoat ermine , otter, sable, seals, cats, dogs, coyotes, wolves, chinchilla, opossum and common brushtail possum. Ermine spots The ermine spot, the conventional heraldic representation of the tail has had a wide variety of shapes over the centuries; its most usual representation has three tufts at the end bottom , converges to a point at the root top , and is attached by three studs.
Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Resume When was faux invented? Ben Davis February 9, After gracing catwalks and red carpets for a better part of a decade, fashion is falling out of love with real animal fur, and an increasing number of designers and brands going fur-free. In its place we have faux fur — touted as the ethical alternative, it has the look of real fur while keeping animal lovers happy.
A growing number of consumers are realising the significant ethical and environmental impacts of the modern fur industry , putting pressure on brands to go fur-free. Although real fur is on the way out, faux fur is quickly rising up to take its place. From coats, to shoes, to keychains, designer and fast fashion brands alike have jumped on the faux fur bandwagon. A growing body of evidence also points to the significant environmental impact of microfibres, the microscopic plastic particles that shed from synthetic garments every time they are washed.
This poses a huge problem for our ocean life, which is ingesting these plastic fibres. According to a study , synthetic jackets released an average of 1, milligrams of plastic microfibers when washed! If you already own synthetic garments, Patagonia sells a laundry bag that helps trap the plastic microfibres that are released from your clothes every time you wash them.
In a disturbing new trend, real fur is actually being passed off as faux fur to unknowing shoppers.
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