Fur Types and Characteristics

Here is a list describing the varied characteristics of the animals from which we obtain the fur used in many of the garments we make.

Fur has been valued for its comfort and beauty by people all over the world.  With a rich ceremonial and fashion history, furs have personalities as varied and unique as the countries and cultures that have nurtured them.

Beaver 
Semi-aquatic builder of dams, the beaver is Canada’s emblematic animal! Natural beaver has very long, lustrous hair, but designers prefer to shear its fur to create elaborate, surface e

Persian Lamb
Persian Lamb is farmed in both Asia and South Africa and pelts are prized for their soft, wavy curls with natural colours of black, brown and grey. Shearling is natural lamb pelts with the leather side sueded or leatherized and worn on the outside, and the curly fur worn inside as a lining.

Lynx
One of the most beautiful wild furs, lynx has an exaggerated edge to it with its mix of black and brown spots on a white background. The whiter the fur, the higher its value. It is indigenous to both North America and Russia.

Marten
A close cousin to Russian sable, American marten has long silky hair and varies from dark brown to golden in color. The finest variety, has a bluish-brown coat and pale underfur.

Mink
Mink is the all-time diva of furs. Soft and lightweight with lustrous guard hair and dense underfur, it is primarily farm-raised. Female pelts are smaller in size and have a softer, silkier feel than the larger male pelts. Mink is available in a wide range of natural colors and may be sheared for a sporty, casual look. It is a very durable fur despite its luxurious look.

Muskrat
Muskrat is a North American fur that is popular for its natural contrasting colours. It can also be dyed in rich jewel shades. It is lightweight and is often worked skin-on skin.

Nutria
Found mainly in Argentina and the Southern USA, it is also farmed in Poland and the Czech Republic. Similar to beaver, it is often sheared for a sporty, more lightweight feel. Because its underfur is very soft and plush and its fur can be dyed in a variety of shades, nutria is a popular fur for linings and trims.

Opossum
Woolly and сoarse, opossum is often used for liners and men’s coats.
The very different American variety has long silvery black-tipped guard hair with thick underfur while the New-Zealand variety has a short, dense plush-like fur in colours ranging from yellow-grey to natural brown.

Rabbit
Rabbit generally has medium length guard hair in a variety of natural colors and is often sheared or grooved. While fragile and not very durable, it is a very reasonably priced fur.

Raccoon
Long gray/black guard hair with silvery tips over a woolly, dense underfur makes it a very durable and warm fur. Finn raccoon has long, thick tan guard hair with black tips and dense underfur.

Sable
Russian sable is still the most prized fur in the world, renowned for its legendary silky quality, rarity and light weight feel. Brown with a silver cast, it is the most expensive fur especially when there is an abundance of silver hair. Canadian sable (brown or golden) is a bit less expensive but just as valuable.

Squirrel (‘’petit gris’’)
Short, soft guard hair with a flatter, dense underfur. Very lightweight.

Tanuki
Also called Japanese raccoon, has very long guard hair and a full texture. Colour is light amber brown with dark, distinctive markings.

Weasel
Similar look to mink, with short guard hair and semi-dense undertur. It is fragile and not as valuable as mink. Sometimes called ‘’China mink’’.
 
Taken from the Fur Council of Canada's website.