Fur

There are more than 90 species of Antelope from Africa, Asia, and America combined. The skin of Antelope is soft, supple, and pliable however the hair feels flat and stiff. Coloration varies from light brown to gray with white, dark brown or near black markings. Antelope is used to make coats, jackets, vests, belts, bags, and other garment related accessories. It’s not a durable fur as the fur rubs off easily when forced in the

Badger fur is long haired. It is usually left in it’s natural length with the exception of the grotzen hairs which are long mane like guard hairs that run down the center of the back which are plucked. Coloration varies from region to region with Canadian Badger having gray guardhair and pale white underfur, US Badger having gray guardhair and creamy underfur, and Asiatic Badger having grey guardhair and yellowish-brown underfur. The best Badger has

Bassarisk is a mammal found in the Southwestern United States and in Mexico. It has two layers of fur with the top layer being medium in length and the underfur being shorter. Coloration is light brown to yellowish brown with a lesser amount of gray or grayish white. The best Bassarisk has strong yellow tones. Not to be confused with ringtail possum, Bassarisk has trade names like ringtail, ringtailed cat, and miner’s cat because of

Bears are hunted for a variety of reasons but the main ones are for clothing and food. The hunting of black bear has been going on for centuries starting with the Norse tribes who as young men would hunt them with only a knife as a rite of passage. Different tribes traded animal pelts as they were highly valued for clothing. Russia was the main source of fur pelts before the discovery of North America.

Beaver fur is thick, soft, warm and hard-wearing. Beaver fur is used in it’s natural length, plucked, or sheared. Natural Beaver has a long shiny wirey top layer of guardhair and a thick softer layer of underfur. The coloration is brown, light brown, a combination of dark brown with lighter shades of brown on the sides, or silvery. The fur is very durable and makes great casual wear for both men and women. Sheared Beaver

There are several varieties of the Bird Of Paradise, and most are found in inner jungles of Papua, New Guinea. The Greater Bird Of Paradise is the one most often seen on women’s hats from the Edwardian Era. Like the Great Snowy Egret or Heron, they were prized for their stunning and colorful fine plumage, and were once hunted to the point of extinction for use in the millinery trade. Whole birds were often used

American Bison is also known as American Buffalo. The fur is shaggy, long, dark brown in winter, and a lighter weight, lighter brown in the summer. The term Buffalo is sometimes considered to be a misnomer for this animal as it is only distantly related to either two true Buffalo, the Asian Water Buffalo and the African Buffalo. The Wild Water Buffalo is considered to be a different species, is brownish-grey, and is on the

Burunduki is a small chipmunk that inhabits Northern Asia, Eastern and Central Europe. The fur is short and coarse. Coloration is brownish gray, with a yellow and/or whitish tint, and stripes that run down the head, back, and sides. The pelts are small and sewn together into plates to make garments. Burunduki does not offer much warmth and does not have enough durability to wear well as coats. The fur is occasionally used to make

The reference calf refers to the young of mammals in the Bovinae subfamily such as cow, ox, bison, buffalo, and other related animals. The image shown below is the calf of cow. Natural coloration is black, brown, white, a combination of some, or all. It sometimes dyed and stenciled to have the appearance of other animals. The hair is short and sleek. It feels smooth when brushed along the grain, but feels stiff when pushed

From the Hindu word Chita meaning “spotted one”, the cheetah’s coat varies from a tawny to golden tone covered in a pattern of solid black spots. It is coarse to the touch rather than silky. The throat and abdomen are a creamy white in color. The Cheetah has a small head with high set eyes and short rounded ears tipped with white on the back. The most well known characteristic is the distinct black ‘tear

The Chinchilla is a rodent from the Andes mountain range of South America and is known for its long, dense, extremely soft fur. The tiny animal was given the name chinchilla after the Inca tribe conquered the Chincha tribe in the 15th century. At the time the meat was used for food and the fur was used for blankets and robes. In the 16th century the Incas were conquered by the Spaniards. Story has it

The Civet may look like a cat but it is actually part of the Mongoose family. There are 35 species in 20 genera. The African Civet is the largest of the Civets. The Fishing or Aquatic Genet, or Congo Water Civet, is rare and inhabits small rivers and streams of the Central Africa forest. The common Genet can be found in France, Africa, Iberian Peninsula, and Palestine. The Genet’s tail makes up half of its

While leather can be made from the skins of sting rays to the skins of kangaroos, most leather comes from cattle skin. The prime advantage of cattle leather is its large size. It is used for everything from watch straps to floor-length coats. The specific treatment of the hide can create different effects, Many people prefer this leather as it can breathe, making it ideal for shoes, purses, and other accessories ‘Slink’ is leather made

Coyote, a member of the canine species, can be found across North America and parts of Central America. The fur is a long with thicker underfur. Coloration ranges from yellowish-gray or grayish-brown mixed with white, sometimes a bit of red, and dark brown to black tips. It is a durable fur that makes great coats for men and women. Written by Furwise.com

Deerskin leather is extremely strong but at the same time very soft and supple. It has a tendency to stretch over time and can loose its shape with rough wear. Popular skin used for boots, moccasins, jackets. Written by The Vintage Fashion Guild

The Ermine has chocolate brown fur in the summer but in the winter it grows a pure white coat of moderately fine fur. Only the black tip of the tail remains the same color year round. Ermine is found in the north temperate and frigid sectors of Eurasia and North America. The fur is usually prepared by having the black of the tail inserted at regular intervals, so that it contrasts with the pure white

Ferrets are sold under the name Fitch. Each year 15,000 are raised for their fur, primarily in Finland, but also in Sweden, New Zealand and Poland. In late November the Ferret’s fur becomes ‘prime’ and reaches its highest commercial value. They come in a wide variety of colors to include sable, albino, cinnamon, silver, white with black eyes, chocolate, Siamese, panda, and Shetland sable. The Ferret’s hair will thicken in the winter and lighten in

The Fisher resembles a house cat in body size and shape but has shorter legs and a longer wedge-shaped snout. The fur is a dark brown to black and as the animal becomes older, the tips of the hair become frosted. The male’s hair is coarser; therefore the female pelts are more desirable to the fur trapper. Fishers will commonly travel 2-3 miles each day and while they are arboreal to some degree, most hunt

Fox fur comes in many different colors and is found all over the world. The popularity of it being ranched in the US was once high but now it is more often ranched in Scandinavia, Norway, Russia, and other countries in Europe. Ranching fox allows farmers to create more colors, combine, and blend natural colors through mutation. Fox fur is soft, long, and fluffy. It can last a long time but must be properly maintained

Named after the French naturalist Geoffroy St. Hilaire, Geoffroy’s cat is found in a geographical range that covers practically the entire South America continent. Geoffroy’s cat is a small, lightly built, spotted cat, which is highly variable in coloration. The northern animals are colored a brilliant ochre, while the southern ones are more silvery gray, known as the silver phase. It is covered all over with equally placed small dark brown or black spots. On