Fur

Kid gloves were commonly worn from the from the nineteenth to the early twentieth century and are still made today. Goatskin leather is softer than cow skin leather and tougher than sheepskin leather. It is used for shoes and boots, jackets and other clothing that require a soft durable leather. Cashmere goats produce a cashmere fiber that is extremely fine and soft. Cashmere is used for quality sweaters and men’s sports jackets, but can also

Guanacos are found in South America. They are related to camels but are smaller in size with a longer layer of guardhair and a shorter, wooly, thick layer of soft downy underfur. Their fur color is mostly a variation of brown or reddish brown with white. These colors help guanacos blend into the grassy and desert regions they inhabit and roam. Written by Furwise.com

The Jaguar is found in Central and South America (as opposed to the leopard, which comes from Africa and Asia) although they have also been seen in Southwestern United States. One simple way to distinguish the fur of the jaguar is to look at the spot pattern. Although we say leopards and jaguars have spots, some of the markings aren’t really spots at all. The markings form rings, which may or may not be solid

The fur of the kangaroo comes from two species that are harvested. The Eastern Grey and the Western Red. The Eastern Grey measures up to 6 feet. Fur is long and gray with brown flecks. The Western Red is the largest of the species measuring up to 8 feet. Kangaroos live in arid or semi-arid climates so their coats are usually short. The female red is actually a blue-gray color. The skins are usually chrome

The fur from Sheep and Lamb is incredibly warm, hardwearing, practical and acceptable to wear in today’s anti-fur society, as it is a by-product of an animal that is also a food source. There are multiple different types of Lamb. Some of them look quite similar while others look quite different. There has been much confusion over the identification of the many varieties of sheep and lamb fur treatments and breeds. Generally speaking, Persian Lamb,

The leopard is most easily recognized by its rosette patterned coat and extremely long, dark tail. This large cat is sometimes confused in appearance with the South American jaguar but the leopard is less stocky and (unlike the jaguar) its rosette markings are generally smaller and have no internal spots. The base coloration of the coat also varies greatly depending upon location, ranging from golden/yellow in open grasslands, to yellow/cream in desert areas to deep

Lipi Cat is a name used in the fur industry for Chinese Leopard Cat. It is one of the a subspecies of the small Asian Leopard Cat which is found across Southern and Eastern Asia. There are many subspecies of the small Asian Leopard cat but Chinese Leopard Cat is the only one internationally traded. Most are listed as endangered species but Chinese Leopard Cats are allowed to be traded with regulation, proper permitting, and

The outer coarse guard hair of llamas is used primarily for rugs, wall hangings and ropes. The finer undercoat is used for garments. Found mainly in South America, the color ranges from white to brown and black. A hollow fiber, llama is very warm for its weight. It has a natural capacity to regulate moisture (wicking). Llama garments shed moisture and are warm when wet. Alpacas are members of the llama family. Alpaca is used

The lynx is a medium size cat with a fluffy snow-white coat with black spots that is still rare and precious. Lynx are indigenous to North America and Russia, the more expensive coming from Russia. The ‘belly’ of the pelt is usually whiter and has longer fur and is more expensive, compared to the “back,” which is usually flatter and has more brown shadings. Written by Pauline Cameron & Katie Kemsley

Marabou is term often misused, as genuine marabou is no longer available for fashion use. True marabou feathers were from a member of the stork family found in the Arabian Peninsula and were fairly costly. Marabou feathers are characterized by their very fine, dense, downy and very fluffy short nap (length), and are velvety soft. Marabou was sometimes used as a fur substitute in the 19th century, as well as dress trimmings and muffs, and

The margay is often confused with its near relatives, the Ocelot and the Oncilla. Their coats are very similar. Found in South America, the margay has been called the “tree ocelot” or “long tailed cat”. The fur is soft and plush, brownish yellow to tan with black blotches, spots and stripes in longitudinal rows. Weight is 9-20 pounds and it is 34-52 inches in length. The center of each spot or rosette is slightly paler

Usually marmots are uniformly colored but mountain forms can have brightly colored belly hair. Stripes or spots are found only on the woodchuck, yellow-bellied and, to a lesser extent, alpine marmots, which have ‘sparkles’ on the back and sides of the body. Fur on the head and back is often darker than on the belly. Light coloration is more or less characteristic, not only of the belly and sides of the body but also of

Found primarily in the Northwest Territories of Canada, the marten includes 5 subspecies including the marten, Newfoundland pine marten, eastern marten, western marten, and the Rocky Mountain marten. The Northwest Territories, the winter coat starts growing in mid-October. The fur is basically brown but varies from almost black to a yellowish-brown color that is darker on the legs and tail and lighter on the head and under parts. The throat has an orange or yellow

Mink from the wilderness is referred to as wild mink. Farmed mink is referred to as ranched mink. Mink comes in a variety of colors, sometimes natural, and sometimes dyed. The mink is a semi aquatic Weasel indigenous to North America, Siberia, China and Japan. Mink was not trapped in any quantity until the 19th century and did not become fashionable until the mid 20th century. Unless sheared, mink is a dense and lightweight fur

Made from the pelt of the Abyssinian, or Central African Colobus Monkey, the fur is very long (reaching lengths of 5 inches or so), sleek, shiny. It looks and feels eerily like human hair. Monkey fur was very popular from the mid nineteenth century through the 1940’s during which time the Colobus Monkey population dropped to alarmingly low numbers. Commonly you will see Colobus Monkey fur used in various trimmings on late 1920’s capes and

Mostly found in North America, muskrats have long been prized for their fur and are the most frequently caught fur-bearing animal in the United States. Muskrat fur is made up of two kinds of hair; the long, coarse and glossy outer guard hairs protect the softer, dense insulating hairs from damage. Colors are mostly browns with lighter shades of grays or blonds on chest and stomach areas. The under fur traps air and prevents the

Nutria are small rodents. Known to multiply quickly they start to breed at 6 months and have two litters per year. They are semi aquatic and have glistening fur. Slightly smaller than a Beaver they are sometimes mistaken for them. Native to the coastal and lake marshes of Argentina, the population levels fluctuate with periods of drought and floods. In Louisiana nutria inhabit the freshwater and partial salty marshes along the Mississippi River delta. Trapping

The ocelot is probably the best known of the South American cats because of its pelt being the mainstay of the fur trade. The ocelot is much larger than its cousins the Margay and the Oncilla, although they bear a striking resemblance. Its coat tends to be more blotched than spotted. Its chain-like blotches and spots are bordered with black but have a lighter colored center. These markings run the entire length of the cat.

The opossum is from North America and Central America, and is is often confused with it’s cousin the possum which is from Australia and also now inhabits New Zealand. American opossum is considered a pest by many as it lives in grassy lands, is often found hunting in urban waste bins, commonly crosses the road at the wrong time, and winds up being roadkill after being hit by vehicles. The fur is of two layers,

Ostrich are native to the African continent but are farmed worldwide. Ostrich feathers have been used in fashion for thousands of years and were at one time worth more than their weight in gold. The best plumes are from the African male bird and were used for centuries in men’s hats, then later after the late 18th century the millinery usage was exclusively for women’s hats. Also used for capes, hand fans, boas, muffs, and