Fur sales still growing despite animal rights debate

According to research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers Italy, global fur sales grew from $15.6 billion in 2011 to $35.8 billion in 2013. The study, which was commissioned by the International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF), also found that there is increased demand in China, despite animal rights activism and economic instability.

Fur in men's fashion make up about 5 percent of total fur sales. Such designs were displayed in recent menswear shows, including Fendi and Burberry. The IFTF stated that more than 70 percent of shows at the New York Fashion Week featured fur as did 60 percent of the London Fashion Week shows.

Fur has been made to suit hot climates by using technology to combine it with other materials. In Dubai alone, for example, there are 400 stores selling fur.

Fur is derived from animals in the wild such as minks, foxes and rabbits. Farming animals for fur is likewise done. Many countries, including Australia and Croatia, have made fur farming illegal. The Netherlands, which used to be the second-largest mink producer in the EU, now also bans the practice.

Fur production has gradually shifted to Asia in the past few decades because of the region's less stringent regulations. Hong Kong, in fact, exported up to 80 percent of fine fur in 2014. This was followed by China, Russia, the US and Canada.

Some companies, including Calvin Klein, have stopped selling real fur as early as 1994, caving in to pressure from animal rights activists. Tommy Hilfiger, H&M, Ralph Lauren and Selfridges stopped carrying fur items in their stores as well.

Fur prices are dependent on factors such as cold winters and political activism. Demand, however, has been high in the last few years. Fur is often sold at auction houses such as Saga Furs and Kopenhagen Fur, which usually partner with the fashion industry to come up with fur-inspired pieces.

Colored and patterned fur are becoming more popular, both real and faux. While the latter is generally less-expensive than genuine variants, a number of those labelled as faux are, in fact, real. There are times when good-quality faux fur is more expensive than low-quality real fur.

View a comparison table of fur coatsuppliers on GlobalSources.com