Furs from china

[Vindstad]

Hi there ,

I have 3 fur coats bougth from china , from a seller that has been active for many years, with consistant good reviews.

 

I am very pleased with the coats ,but since joining this forum i have become aware that apparently the chinese apparently thin and stretch the skins to cut material costs.

How can i tell if that is the case ? I love fur, and i want all my coats to last as long as possible.

The skins are very soft and supple, the fur looks lovely, but i am afraid that if the skins are thinned and streched they will not last.

[Vindstad]

[Jonasfoxluvr]

I have bought several pieces (2 collar/boa, 1 hat and 1 vest) of furs from China. I would say the quality varies a lot. 

My black fox fur boa, which I have bought around 5 years ago, is still soft, thick and beautiful. I still enjoy "playing" with it and it serves me well. 

Another pieces of furs is a finn raccoon fur collar, which it was purchased 1 and a half year ago, isn't that soft and gentle when compared to my huge finn raccoon fur boa bought on eBay. 

Then a blue fox fur pillbox hat and a fox fur vest were bought around 2 years ago. Although the hat feels a little bit thin,it is still very soft. After all they are still in very good condition in terms of softness and appearance. 

But still, since both of my fur coats (a blue fox fur and a finn raccoon) are bought on eBay, I prefer buying coats and jackets on it. 

[dongleboy]

I’ve always been cautious re. Chinese furs since they have such an appalling reputation of mistreating the animals. (Look at the way their population is treated!). 
 

sorry, good, bad or indifferent, No Asian fur for me. 

[Vindstad]

3 hours ago, Jonasfoxluvr said:

I have bought several pieces (2 collar/boa, 1 hat and 1 vest) of furs from China. I would say the quality varies a lot. 

My black fox fur boa, which I have bought around 5 years ago, is still soft, thick and beautiful. I still enjoy "playing" with it and it serves me well. 

Another pieces of furs is a finn raccoon fur collar, which it was purchased 1 and a half year ago, isn't that soft and gentle when compared to my huge finn raccoon fur boa bought on eBay. 

Then a blue fox fur pillbox hat and a fox fur vest were bought around 2 years ago. Although the hat feels a little bit thin,it is still very soft. After all they are still in very good condition in terms of softness and appearance. 

But still, since both of my fur coats (a blue fox fur and a finn raccoon) are bought on eBay, I prefer buying coats and jackets on it. 

Im glad to hear it ! When you say the fox hat is thin, is it the fur itself you refer to?

My bluefox coat is 3 years old now and still as fabulous as the day i got it, i will take that as an good omen.

 

Any recommendations for a good eBay vendors btw?

[minkme]

My furrier told me the same thing.  China's furs are stretched and are thinner made.  Many USA furs are made in China and finished in the USA so they can say made in the USA.

[Jonasfoxluvr]

On 8/22/2022 at 1:09 AM, Vindstad said:

Im glad to hear it ! When you say the fox hat is thin, is it the fur itself you refer to?

My bluefox coat is 3 years old now and still as fabulous as the day i got it, i will take that as an good omen.

 

Any recommendations for a good eBay vendors btw?

Yes, I am referring to the fur itself. Actually I am fine with its thickness. 

For vendors' recommendations, please see dm. 

[MAINLYMINK]

@Vindstad: in the very first photo you posted, of the white fox jacket (actually of the brown full-length fox, also), you notice how they cut corners by stitching in more leather stripping between skins -- noticeable in the sleeves.  This is a prime way of saving their cost -- ie, cutting corners!

I think that Chinese manufacturing of furs is suspect: look at the pictures on eBay where they describe various garments as "mink", when they are obviously <not>.  I'd love a fur-lined parka; but from China?  No, I don't think so.

[FullLengthFox]

It might be part of the design. It is quite common to use leather between skins to make the fur coats less bulky. I have a full length black Saga fox fur coat which has this, and it was not made in China but in the US. 

[Vindstad]

It is definitly a design feature, makes the fox fur coat lighter and not so bulky. With fox furs i prefer it that way.

My beaver fur i ordered from the same vendor was full skin and very nice, no sign that i could tell of cutting corners.

A part of me is wondering if furriers talk down the quality of the chinese furtrade as a way of protecting their business (wich is completely understandable)

I would love to read an impartial peer reviewed study comparing western furs with those from the east.

I personally take the word of people with economic interest involved with a substancial grain of salt.

There are definitly many vendors to avoid, i personally have found a few good ones that have only delivered quality and exactly like it was pictured.

Thank you all for your replys and taking the time to do so.

Thank you Jonasfoxluvr for advice and sending me links !🤩

Edited August 25, 2022 by Vindstad
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[gai]

I think if you're loving your furs so far and there's been no issue, then there's really no need to worry about it as long as you take care of it. Yours look beautiful enough. My first furs I ever bought were from China, and the quality was pretty good. Nothing amazing. But you get what you pay for, since they're so much cheaper. Personally, it's good to start with, but I'd rather get my furs elsewhere. You can get some good used ones for cheap on ebay. And some stores sell new ones for affordable prices, though I'm not sure if they're just getting them from China too. Using leather strips between furs is definitely done in other countries too and seems to be a style. You're right, it might just be competition and other furriers trying to eliminate the option. I'm glad this thread hasn't turned into a racist bashing of China so far.

 

On 8/21/2022 at 6:52 AM, dongleboy said:

I’ve always been cautious re. Chinese furs since they have such an appalling reputation of mistreating the animals. (Look at the way their population is treated!). 
 

sorry, good, bad or indifferent, No Asian fur for me. 

Not any worse than how the British treated them when they colonized them. Or during the Opium wars, the Boxer Rebellion, or colonization of other Asian countries and non-Asian countries.