Fur Types in Brief

Badger is long-haired and is generally used unplucked, except for the grotzen (the long, mane-like guard hairs running down the back), which is plucked. It’s a wild fur, with the color varying, depending on where the badger is from. The best badger has a natural silvery tint.

Canadian badger is gray with pale white underfur, while badger from the US has gray guard hairs and creamy underfur. Asiatic (China) badger has a yellowish-brown underfur and gray guard hair.

North American badger is softer and fuller than other badger. Badger is so durable that a coat can wear for years, given good care and regular cleaning. Because badger is so heavy in weight, it is often “leathered”, that is, made with strips of badger alternating with leather. Leathered badger is much lighter in weight but is not as durable.

Beavers are now found only in North America in quantity, though they are making a comeback in the former Soviet Union. It is an aquatic animal with shiny, coarse guard hair and soft, exceptionally thick underfur called beaver wool orduvet.

The color range is wide. It may be dark brown on the back, shading to pale golden brown on the sides, or the entire fur may be pale or even silvery. Whatever the color, beaver should never have a red cast. The best beaver comes from Canada, the northern US, and Alaska. Northern beaver wears longest.

Southern beaver has a thicker skin and is inexpensive in comparison to northern beaver. The fur texture is similar, although the underfur may not be as thick. Beaver is used both natural and plucked and sheared. Southern beaver is best when natural.

Natural beaver: Natural beaver doesn’t resemble the sheared beaver with which most of us are familiar. Watch for long guard hairs that give the fur a lustrous sheen. Natural beaver is ideal for men’s coats because of the rugged look. It also makes striking casual wear for both men and women. Natural beaver is a durable fur. Its natural brown color may be dyed other colors.

Sheared beaver: Beaver almost always used to be plucked and sheared to a velvety, soft pile. The natural color is sometimes dyed darker brown or beige or even bleached white. The fur may mat when wet and requires care and annual cleaning.

The chinchilla is a rodent, native to the high Andes of South America. The name comes from “Chincha”, the South American Indians who used the hair for cloth, as did the Incas who conquered the Chinchas and the early Spaniards who defeated the Incas. Later, the blue-gray, exquisitely soft fur became so popular in Europe that chinchillas were almost extinct by 1914. Nowadays, all chinchilla is ranched, as the result of a few breeding pairs imported to the US in 1924.

The fur is very soft, silky, and dense. In fact, chinchilla fur has the highest hair density of any animal, with more than 20,000 per square centimeter. (This makes it impossible for parasites such as fleas to inhabit chinchillas, as they would suffocate.) Where humans grow one hair from each follicle, a chinchilla has more than 50.

Color is silvery gray top hair and dark underfur. The best chinchilla has a slate blue color, often enhanced by brighteners, although mutation colors are now also produced.

The small size and the fragility of the skin used to make chinchilla difficult to work with and very expensive. It’s still expensive, but new dressing methods have made it easier to work with and have improved its wearability. No fur needs more care, however. The fur is very warm, despite being one of the lightest.

Coyote are native to North America. They are predators, and often considered as pests since they may attack domestic and farm animals.

At one time, coyote pelts were considered worthless, but as conservation efforts aimed at wolves grew, fur manufacturers began experimenting with coyote. The long-haired fur, often pale gray or tan in color with thick, paler underfur, is durable and warm and makes luxurious coats for both men and women.

Fox, which comes in many natural colors, is found all over the world. Because of its long hair and distinctive coloring, its popularity depends on fashion, especially in the US.

Fox is easy to ranch and was ranched extensively in the US at the height of its popularity. As its popularity waned, however, American fox farmers turned to raising mink, with the result that almost all fox today comes from ranches in Scandinavia (especially Norway), other European countries, and Russia, where it has always been fashionable. The ranching made possible the development of mutations such as silver and platina fox, that are variations of the natural colors.

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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.

Lamb is one fur that cannot be described in a few words. It may be long-haired or short-haired. It may be flat with a wavy pattern or curly. It may be inexpensive to expensive. In addition, the fur industry is now using types of lamb that were seldom, if ever, used before. Each type of fur, therefore, has its own characteristics and colors, although almost all curly lamb is very durable.

• 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.

• 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 sheepskin 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 are casual, sporty, long wearing and relatively 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.

  • Until not so long ago, shearlings were considered heavy. However, better tanning methods have made the finest-quality shearlings much lighter, heralding their arrival on the fashion scene.​

• 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.

Lynx is a long-haired fur that is light-colored with spotted, textured body hair. It’s native to parts of northern and central Europe, Canada, and the United States, with the markings varying according to its native habitat. The rarest lynx is the Russian white lynx, which is protected by the Russian government.

Only limited amounts of pelts are sold, accounting for its high price tag. In addition to having an exceptionally fluffy snow-white coat with subtle black spots, it is also the only long-haired fur that won’t shed. The belly of the pelt is usually whiter and has longer fur, and garments made only of belly fur are therefore more expensive than those made from whole pelts.

Canadian lynx has less subtle markings, while Montana lynx is more strongly marked. Bay lynx or bobcat is much more strongly marked, with flatter hair, and is the least expensive kind of lynx.

Marmot is native to North America, Europe and Asia. The American marmot (better known as woodchuck or groundhog) isn’t used for fur. Marmot that is used for fur comes from Russia and China.

The hair tends to be coarse, although the guard hairs are silky and the underfur is thick. It’s bluish in color before hibernation and yellowish afterwards. Although it may be used in its naturally bluish color, it may also be dyed to resemble mink. Marmot is reasonably durable and not expensive.

Musquash is the Canadian and British name for muskrat, one of the most versatile furs. It can be used many ways, including being dyed to resemble mink and plucked and sheared to resemble beaver.

Hudson seal, which is no longer made but was popular in the 1920s and 1930s, was actually plucked and sheared muskrat dyed to look like Alaska, or northern, fur seal. The name muskrat comes from glands near the tail that give off an odor, musk. Musk is used in perfumes and cosmetics. Muskrat are found all over the United States, mainly in marsh areas that are unsuitable for agriculture. It is extremely hardy and prolific, which means that it would become a pest if not trapped. At times, in fact, it has become so numerous that it’s left the marshes for farmlands where it’s caused severe damage.

Its color, in general, is dark brown on the back shading to golden brown and silver on the flanks. Jersey, or eastern, muskrat is darker in color, almost black, and the most expensive. Eastern muskrat is long-wearing with care, although all muskrat wears well.

While some species of otter are endangered, others are not. The otter used for fur nowadays are American and Canadian inland otter. Like most aquatic animals, it has a sleek, flat, lustrous fur with dense underfur.

Its natural color is brown, and it wears well. Otter may be left natural or plucked and sheared, giving it a variety of looks.

Otter, because of its sturdy wear and good looks, makes attractive sports furs and appeals to men as well as women.

Rabbit is noted for being very inexpensive. It’s also noted as being the great imitator, because of its use to imitate just about any other fur. Both wild and domestic rabbits are used, although most rabbit fur today comes from animals raised for food purposes, the skins of which would be thrown out if not used for fur.

Rabbit may be left natural or it may be plucked, sheared, dyed, and processed in the effort to make it resemble other furs. As a result, it used to be called a wide variety of names, including lapin, sealine, beaverette and chinchillette. But nowadays it is legally required to be called rabbit, no matter how it’s processed.

Long-haired rabbit tends to shed. Thus, anyone who wears dark colors would be better off with a darker color or dyed rabbit than with a white or light-colored rabbit coat or jacket. In any case, the texture should be silky and the color uniform. Some rabbit is leather-edged to give it a longer life. Although rabbit may wear as long as five years or more, the average rabbit coat or jacket probably wears about three years.

Keeping in mind that a rabbit coat may cost less than a cloth coat, though, it gives good value for the money.

Rex Rabbit: The fur of this special breed is quite distinct from that of regular rabbits. According to the National Rex Rabbit Club (U.S.), the breed was the product of a recessive gene first spotted in France in 1919. Unlike regular rabbits, the Rex has no prominent “guardhair”, resulting in a silkier, denser fur resembling chinchilla or sheared mink. Rex rabbits were imported into the U.S. in the 1920s.

Raccoon is a truly American animal and fur, and it’s come a long way from the enormous, heavy coats that were a “must” for the 1920s college man and the Davy Crockett hats of the 1950s. Raccoon are found all over the United States and in southern Canada, with its fur getting thicker and longer the farther north the animal lives.

Although the distinctive tail alternates black with tan rings, the body guard hairs are long and silvery with black tips and the gray sides shade to black along the middle of the back. The best raccoon has plentiful guard hair, heavy underfur, and a silvery color. If raccoon is plucked and sheared, the texture should be silky and the shearing even. Sheared raccoon, as is true of any sheared coat, needs special care to keep it from matting. Raccoon can also be bleached or dyed. The fur can be very durable with care, as the number of raccoon coats from the 1920s that were around a few years ago (and may even still be around) demonstrate.

One day raccoon may not be truly American. Pairs have been resettled in Russian forests where they’re said to be growing in number.

Sable are actually marten – the finest, most luxurious and expensive marten.

The best sable comes from the Barguzin Valley in Russia and is denser and silkier than Canadian sable, while Chinese and Japanese sable are the lowest in quality. Most sable are wild and protected in preserves, although some have been and are ranched. However, Russia has strictly controlled the sale of breeding stock.

The Russian government has a monopoly on sable. V/O Sojuzpushnina, a Russian trade organization, holds fur auctions in January, July and October, at which sables (and other furs) are auctioned. The proceeds go to the government. This system is little different from the system in czarist times when a good portion of the imperial family’s income came from the sale of sable, except that the royal family sold sable only to other crowned heads. The finest sable, Barguzin sable, was reserved for the czar and his family’s use, which is why it’s called crown or imperial sable.

Prime sable is deeply furred with even, silvery-tipped guard hairs, making it silkier than mink. The color is a rich brown with a blue cast. Golden sable, which is a reddish or amber color, is less expensive. All sable, nevertheless, is very expensive – but as warm and light in weight as it is heavy in price.

Commercial harvests of seals focus on two species, the harp seal and ring seal.

The industry plays an important role in parts of Canada, Greenland, and northern Europe, where populations of these species are abundant, but pressure from animal rights groups has resulted in restrictions in the trade of pelts. Notably, in the US, trade in seal skins, along with all other marine mammal products, is banned. Also banned is the formerly important harvesting of very young “whitecoat” harp seals.

Both harp and ring seals are “hair” seals, so called because their pelts are comprised entirely of short, shiny guard hairs, with no underfur. For insulation, they depend primarily on their blubber. The result is what is called “flat” fur, of which hair seal fur is the longest wearing of all, being much more durable than calf or antelope, for example. Because of the lack of underfur, hair seal fur is not as warm as “true” furs like mink. However, it provides good resistance to wind and rain.

Hair seal fur is used for vests, jackets, skirts and pants, and also for accessories such as purses and bags. It also takes dyes very well, though this treatment is normally reserved for lower grade pelts.

Other species of seal, such as the Cape fur seal, do have underfur. When used for clothing, the guard hairs are plucked and the underfur sheared to produce a soft, velvety “duvet”, much like preparing sheared beaver.

The North American Timber Wolf, also known as the Canadian or Arctic Wolf, has coarse, durable fur varying in color from almost white to black, but usually yellow to brownish grey.

A full-furred specimen from northern regions will have bluish gray underwool and fine, black, flowing top hair. The fur is used natural, bleached or dyed in coats, jackets and trimming.

Weasels are native to many countries.

The color varies, depending on season and country of origin. Weasel is similar to mink, to which it’s related, except that the hair is shorter. The fur is soft and light in weight. The yellow and light colors may be left natural, or the pelt may be dyed. Despite the resemblance to mink, weasel wears nowhere near as long, only about five to eight years.

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The dark brown fur of the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), otherwise called Kolinsky or Kolinski, or yellow weasel, is found in parts of the Himalayas, Siberia and China.

Historically it was marketed under a variety of other names, including China mink, Japanese mink, Siberian mink, yellow mink, red sable, and tatar sable.

The hair of the males, in particular, is used in the finest paint brushes.

Wolverines are native to the northern US, Canada, and the cold belt of Europe. Their soft, warm fur was very popular in the early 20th century.

The brown underfur is thick and dense, with the guard hair varying from dark brown to yellowish, with a white stripe along the sides. It is usually used natural and is rarely dyed, so a wolverine jacket should have dense underfur and an attractive striped pattern.

Wolverine fur has a durability rating of 100 so it lasts for years. But it is also heavy, so it is used primarily for trimmings, small jackets and small wraps. It is also used for the ruffs of parka hoods because it does not hold moisture and freeze against the face.