News Archives • We Are Fur

Furcyle Label, Pre-owned Fur

November 16, 2023

The ‘Furcycle’ label authenticates pre-loved fur, as second-hand luxury market and conscious consumption soars. A new label to support the use of vintage and pre-loved fur has been launched by the International Fur Federation (IFF). The label called ‘Furcycle’ comes a year after ‘Furmark’ had been launched for all new fur items. As more consumers seek sustainable alternatives, the market for vintage and pre-owned luxury items, including fur, has experienced a renaissance. Driven by sustainable consumerism, the desire for exclusivity and rarity, and the timeless...

REMIX Fashion Show 2021

November 10, 2021

"Passing on knowledge, entrusting part of our history to future generations" The French Federation of Fur Trades is a player in the transmission of knowledge. Every year, it organizes numerous competitions for young designers, participates in student training, organizes the integration of new recruits into workshops and coordinates projects on an international scale around the fur trade. At international level, there are many competitions, including the REMIX. Below are some of the entries from fashion school Lycée Turquetil in Paris. This high school has a workshop specially dedicated...

WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit

November 5, 2021

On October 26th and 27th, The IFF, under the umbrella of Furmark®, sponsored the WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit, themed ‘the new future – winning in the roaring 20s’. The IFF secured a premium speaker slot on the official schedule amongst other influential and key presenters including Kim Jones, Artistic Director of Dior Men’s and Fendi Womenswear, Designer Rick Owens, as well as CEOs of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Mytheresa, amongst many others. You can view the Furmark speakers' video below. https://vimeo.com/642748440 The IFF...

The CREATION 2020/21 Designer Contest and Show

October 25, 2021

The CREATION 2020/21 Designer Contest and Show was held on the 16th of October 2021 at the New York Palace Anantara Hotel in Budapest. At the event there were more than 130 guests, including politicians, press, representatives of the Hungarian designer universities and schools, designers, representatives of the fur sector, supporters and sponsors. The presented products were characterized by inventive fur-combinations and unique solutions. The jury was composed of professional participants, such as fur traders and owners of companies operating in fur and fashion sector. The winners received cash prizes and fur bundles. The winners were as follows: Category of fur coat, fur jacket:1st place: Ms. Erika Hidegföldi 2nd place: Mr. Miklós and Mrs. Bea Szilágyi 3rd place: Ms. Lya Vath (Orsolya Horváth) Category of fur accessories:1st place: Mr. László Láng 2nd place: Ms. Mária Csányi 3rd place: Mr. Gyula KocsisCategory of "Redesign it!": Mrs. Rozália Szekszárdiné Kovács Special prize of REMIX (for young designers only): Ms. Borbála Braunitzer The 1st place winner of the fur coat category, Erika Hidegföldi writes about the winning product (a beautiful peacock patterned fur coat): “The jacket was inspired by the diversity...

Delivering a new message from the fur industry! With its Furmark® program, IFF strongly promotes sustainable fur fashion in Shanghai!

October 18, 2021

The "debate" over animal welfare and sustainable fashion on fur seems endless. The fashion industry and animal protection organizations explore the balance of "seeking common ground while keeping differences" in various fashion TALKs in China every year. From October 8th to October 14th, 2021, SS22 Shanghai Fashion Week official showroom-DADASHOW with the theme of "Border", brings together nearly 100 designer brands, presenting up-to-date models, taking orders, while using practice to explore the fashion realm of adhering to the scale. The International Fur Federation member enterprises...

Furmark’s Farm-to-Shopfloor Tracing Tags Set for International Debut

September 1, 2021

AS SEEN ON WWD: "The IFF said the new, QR-coded swing tags, which map the history of a fur garment, will be a 'game changer.'" The IFF has worked closely with LVMH and Kering on the development of the Furmark label. LONDON — Every fur has a tale to tell and now consumers will be able to learn the story of the items they’re purchasing via the new Furmark traceability tag, which begins rolling out this week to coincide with the arrival of the fall 2021 collections....

Global fur retail trade worth $20.1bn indicating strong bounce back post-pandemic

June 18, 2021

The global fur retail trade is worth $20.1bn, indicating a strong bounce back since COVID-19 pandemic, new research from the University of Copenhagen has revealed. The European fur retail trade is worth $4.8bn, even after accounting for the pandemic. Crucially, the academic study also estimates that the international fur garment trade reached its highest ever value in 2019 — despite lower prices of raw fur skin — demonstrating a buoyant global market. The University of Copenhagen analysis — Global Fur Retail Value (attached), conducted by...

2021 China International Fashion Week: A Dialogue between Fur and Sustainability

April 14, 2021

2021 China International Fashion week - China Fashion Summit was held in Beijing 751D PARK Fashion Cloister on March 27. Themed by “Building Sustainable Industry Chain, And Promoting the Updating of Green Consumption”, the summit invited fashion industry representatives and sustainable fashion practitioners from home and abroad. Levin Cheung (Zhang Mian) , board member of International Fur Federation (IFF) and chairman of the board of KC Fur, was invited to attend the event, jointly illustrating the green consumption concept of sustainable fashion as a dialogue guest. The...

Market Upturn: Strong Demand And Rising Fur Prices

March 1, 2021

The long-awaited upturn in the fur market is finally happening, with auctions reporting high demand and rising prices. In Denmark, Kopenhagen Fur had to extend the auction by two additional days due to very active buys and a considerable amount of request coming In the last moment. After some challenging years, the prices of mink pelts are rising, with the action reporting that the average skin price increased by 79 per cent compared to a similar offering in September 2020. Sales percentage for hit a...

The global fur trade relies on China. Is the mood shifting?

January 27, 2021

According to Vogue Business, "For those luxury brands that are continuing to use fur, the focus is on China, the country most important to the $22 billion worldwide fur trade. A survey of 400 high-income Chinese residents, predominantly Vogue and GQ readers, by Vogue Business and market research group Dynata, shows that demand for fur in China is likely to remain robust for now" Vogue Business state, "Falling prices for European fur may be to the benefit of companies targeting the Chinese market. Sofya Bakhta, China market analyst at Daxue Consulting,...

Finnish Fur Press Release – Coronavirus Vaccine

January 13, 2021

Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association – FIFUR 12.1.2021 Press release The fur industry is developing a corona vaccine for mink and Finnraccoon with a research group at the University of Helsinki The Finnish Fur Breeders' Association FIFUR and researchers at the University of Helsinki are developing a corona vaccine for mink and Finnraccoon. The goal is to have a vaccine that protects farm animals against covid-19 as soon as possible for widespread use and distribution. "The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, is not just...

Fur industry bouncing back: bullish about Asia, market, and 2021

November 20, 2020

The leader of the global fur industry has announced the bullish prospects for fur in 2021, called for clarity from the Danish Government on the ongoing mink situation, and affirmed the place of natural sustainable fashion in a post-COVID world.Mark Oaten, CEO, International Fur Federation, hit back at suggestions natural sustainable fur was going anywhere but up: "Actions speak louder than words: there are already strong signs that sales are robust in Asia and early indications show mink prices have increased by up to 30%....

Statement on the culling of all mink farms in Denmark from FUR EUROPE

November 9, 2020

The government in Denmark has made a decision they did not want to, but public safety must come first. Now the Danish authorities must release their research for scrutiny amongst international scientists. The Danish mink production is allowed to continue in the future, but no decisions have yet been made by the mink farmers, who are still in shock over seeing their livelihood being taken away from them. The culling decisions in Denmark and the Netherlands rest on many farms being located close together, and...

Alan Herscovici: ‘B.C. mink farms are family owned and operated and these farmers respect animal welfare’

July 23, 2020

Dear Members: We are pleased to share an Oped with you in defence of our industry. This weeks print edition of the Vancouver Sun and The Province published an opinion piece by Alan Herscovici. Alan’s article is a strong response to an article last week (July 11) by Leslie Fox of The Furbearers (with two doctors), calling for a ban on mink farms in British Columbia. You can read Alan’s response and post your comments here....https://theprovince.com/opinion/alan-herscovici-b-c-mink-farms-are-family-owned-and-operated-and-these-farmers-respect-animal-welfare/wcm/acacaa13-526f-4ccb-a470-65b39ea6c2b5 Together we can make our voices heard! Sincerely, Melanie...

FEDERAL COURT RECOGNIZES LIMITS ON SAN FRANCISCO FUR BAN — SAYS SALES CAN RESUME ONLINE

July 23, 2020

Judge Holds that San Francisco “Changed Its Position” After Lawsuit Was Filed On July 17, 2020, Judge Richard Seeborg of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, sitting in San Francisco, issued an order in a case in which the International Fur Federation (“IFF”) is challenging San Francisco’s ban on the sale of fur products. The ban went into full effect on January 1, 2020, and San Francisco took the position in its online FAQs that a retailer of fur products...

Save the Date: First Global Fur Conference Announced

April 8, 2020

Fur Europe and IFF are revealing the first-ever Fur Conference in autumn 2020 to bring together the entire global fur community. Taking place 23-25 October, the event will have an entirely new format combining IFF’s and Fur Europe’ annual general meetings with a surprising new setup for the last day. For the first time, the two fur organisations organise a Fur Conference to look together at the most critical environmental, social and economic issues the industry is facing. The crucial conversation about sustainability will bring...

IFF Launches Sustainability Strategy – ‘Natural Fur’

February 17, 2020

The global fur industry has launched an ambitious programme and a clear direction of travel for the industry and wider supply chain around animal welfare, environmental protection and for the people and communities that work in the sector as part of its first sustainability strategy. The strategy was launched by the International Fur Federation (IFF), the global body for the fur sector, at an event to coincide with London Fashion Week at the Danish Embassy in London on 17th February. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE IFF,...

More GOOD4FUR Certified Farms Boosting Fur Farming

January 13, 2020

On January 6th, 2020, GOOD4FUR Certified Farm press meeting was held in China National Convention Center. GOOD4FUR certification, jointly initiated by China Leather Industry Association (CLIA, for short) and IFF in 2017, aimed to promote China’s fur farming into normalization, standardization and modernization and to build an excellent image. In the past three years, China's fur farmers has gradually reached a consensus on animal welfare with high standards. They have actively participated in GOOD4FUR certification so that farms with high-standard animal welfare boost fur farming...

Beijing Fur & Leather Products Fair 2020

January 9, 2020

Report on the Beijing Fur & Leather Products Fair 2020 2020 Beijing Fur & Leather Products Fair was held from 6-8th, Jan. as the 1st international fur fair in the new year. Around 150 fur and down companies participated the 3-days fair in a surname of Beijing Winter Fashion Show. Organizer try to combine fur with other winter fashion attracting more buyers. IFF attended the activities of the fair, had a booth to promote fur’s sustainability fashion, and stood together with the China fur industry...

IV FUR Futures Ukraine International Forum

October 7, 2019

Cooperation of Kyiv National University of Technology and Design with the Ukrainian Fur Association promotes success in the international market The IV International Forum, “FUR Futures Ukraine,” held at the Kyiv National University of Technology and Design is the annual event organised by the Ukrainian Association of furriers that gathers representatives of fur business, from manufacturers to designers, as well as students, profiled teachers, academics, all working together in cooperation. This year, the forum was attended by 100 people and was moderated by Alla Gosling - the executive director...

Senate Passage of Fur-Ban Bill Today Not the Final Say – Industry group promises legal challenge if governor signs Assembly Bill 44

September 11, 2019

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2019—Expressing its disappointment but saying the matter is far from settled, an industry group outlined its strategy after today’s 27-8 passage of Assembly Bill 44 by the California State Senate. There were five abstentions. “Everyone should know that AB 44 does not go into effect until 2023, and it still needs the governor’s signature to become law, but should he sign it, we will aggressively challenge it in the courts,” said Keith Kaplan of the Fur Information Council of America. “For...

REAL FUR MATTERS. NYC BAN IMPLICATIONS

September 6, 2019

As the proposed New York City fur ban grabs head-lines and social media attention, one key fact has gotten muddled in the debate: the fur industry is a vibrant one that meets a consumer demand for high-quality, sustainable luxury apparel.

CATALYST FOR SUCCESS

March 6, 2019

While highlighting fur as a sustainable and a modern versatile fashion material, REMIX 2019 also shines a light on emerging designers – and serves as a “career launch pad.” Download PDF

IFF REMIX 2019

February 26, 2019

Milan, 25 February 2019. REMIX, an international competition for young fashion and fur design talents, organised by the International Fur Federation (IFF) with the support of Vogue Talents, declared three winning designers last night during the annual award ceremony in Milan. This year, IFF asked the competition’s 10 finalists to create three fur garments that reflected the theme: Responsibility, and Berivan Cemal, from the Netherlands, won the much-coveted REMIX Gold award. Berivan received the Kopenhagen Furs (KF) sponsored prize, which includes a paid trip to...

Another Eight Chinese farms passing GOOD4FUR Certification

January 25, 2019

On January 16th, 2019, the 2nd GOOD4FUR Certified Farm press meeting was held in China National Convention Center, jointly by China Leather Industry Association (CLIA, for short) and IFF. Attendees from various industries were present at the meeting, including leaders of Ministry of Agriculture, CLIA, IFF, Canada Mink Breeding Association, China Feather and Down Industry Association, China Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing association, China Cuisine Association, Jilin Agricultural University, and assessment-team representative and journalists' home and abroad. Photo for the 2nd GOOD4FUR...

Facing The Tough Market Actively Together – Beijing Fur Fair 2019

January 24, 2019

2019 Beijing Fur & Leather Products Fair was held from 16-18th January in Beijing. As the most important fur fair in China, its performance was directly related to the market. This year, around 200 exhibitors participated in the fair with the exhibition area deceased to 15% compared to last year. Because of a tough 2018 in China's market in domestic and export, a deep sense of gloom was over the fair. Fur retail sales in China's Northeast decreased around 50% in the winter. Moreover, a lot of farmers...

International Fur Federation Statement

January 14, 2019

International Fur Federation StatementFriday 11 January 2019, London- “Fake News” is now seen as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate and the Western order. Headlines claiming that London Fashion Week has banned fur are completely false. No such decision has been taken and fur has already been shown during Men’s Fashion Week in January. Reports that the city Council of Los Angeles has banned fur are also false, no ban exists and fur is still being sold in LA. The council have voted to explore...

Hang Together! From Suning to the World.

January 2, 2019

The 18th China ShangCun International Fur Trade Fair was held on the 11th, Nov. 2018 in Suning, China. As one of the biggest manufacture bases in China, Suning has been playing a unique role in the fur industry. The organizer of the fair includes China Leather Industry Association (CLIA), China Animal-Products Marketing Association (CAMA), and members of IFF in China. Hang Together! From Suning to the World. Chairman of IFF, Johannes Manakas, attended the fair and made a speech in the opening ceremony. As the fur selling season came to...

EKATERINA FURS GALA SHOW

November 23, 2018

On November 20, 2018 a new winter collection of EKATERINA FURS was presented in Hayatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky park. Both classic and bright garments, corresponding to modern fashion trends, were shown. Comics, graffiti, and always an actual check are reflected in these unusual fur coats. Furs combine styles, eras and various fashion trends - this was the main theme. Ekaterina Akkhuzina emphasized: “The colossal work of professionals - furriers, tailors, artists has...

JFA Offered Material Fur for Bunka Fashion College’s Culture Fest Fashion Show

November 20, 2018

JFA offered blue fox and silver fox for the Culture Fest Fashion Show at Bunka Fashion College. The theme of the show was ‘Famiglia:With Formality and Pride in Mind.’ The suiting material for twelve bodies were offered by CERRUTI, an Italian noble family, which successfully created a scene to represent ‘a touch of class and dignity’ in collaboration with fur. We hear that the works presented on the stage, including suits, fur stoles, hats, corsages, belts...

Korea Fur Federation (KFF) successfully hosted ‘the 5th K-Fur Design Contest’

November 15, 2018

On November 13th, Korea Fur Federation successfully hosted the 5thK-Fur Design Contest at Sheraton Seoul Palace Gangnam Hotel. The final was judged and scored by 3 professors, 1 major fashion designers and Mr. HJ Kim, the chairman of KFF. During the contest, the grand prize award went to Unsoo Han, studying in Dongseo University in Busan, Korea. The concept of his design is ‘A flock of mallards flying in the sky of a sunset glow.’Unsoo Han said in his acceptance speech, “I have earned many...

Press Conference in Russia

November 12, 2018

On November 9, 2018, the Russian Fur Union, in collaboration with Russia Fur Fashion Week, held an insightful and educational press conference at the Russian State University’s (RSU) media centre Kosygin. Speakers at the conference included: Stolbov S.G., President of the “Russian Fur Union” Bogza A.V., Founder of “Russia.Fur Fashion Week” Belgorodsky VS, Rector of RSU. A.N. Kosygin O. Kascheev, Vice-Rector for Research, RSU them. A.N. Kosygin Victoria Pustynnikova, Kopenhagen Fur Dmitry Larionov,...

New study compares natural and fake fur biodegradability

June 27, 2018

Natural fur biodegrades rapidly even in landfill conditions without oxygen as opposed to fake fur which does not biodegrade at all, a new study shows. Experts from the Organic Waste Systems laboratory in Ghent, Belgium, examined how real and fake fur degrade in conditions set up to mimic closed landfill conditions, so-called anaerobic biodegradation. Commenting on the report’s findings Mark Oaten, CEO of the IFF said: “Fake fur has been promoted as the sustainable alternative to natural fur, but in reality, it is highly polluting....

Britain’s Fur Industry Bites Back

April 17, 2018

The British Fur Trade is mounting a robust defense of the industry ahead of a U.K. parliamentary hearing set for April 18.

China’s First Step to Push Out GOOD4FUR Certified Farm

March 23, 2018

Introduction: the first GOOD4FUR certification was launched in Beijing, China. It marks that fur economic animals farming enters a new era with standardisation, process, normalisation and modernisation. On January 16th, 2018, GOOD4FUR Certified Farm press meeting was held in China National Convention Center, jointly by China Leather Industry Association (CLIA, for short) and IFF. Five farms were awarded with honor of “GOOD4FUR Certified Farm”, namely Dalian Mingwei Marten Farm Co., Ltd, Huitai Mink Farm, Goldtime Farming (Harbin) Co., Ltd, Harbin Hualong Blue Fox Breeding Co.,...

Fur industry says “it’s time to call out the fake news about fake fur”

February 1, 2018

The international fur industry is launching a global campaign to highlight the colossal environmental damage caused by plastic based fake fur. Fake fur is often pushed by animal activist groups as the ethical alternative to real fur. But in a hard hitting campaign across all continents, the fur trade says, “It’s time to call out the fake news about fake fur”. The industry has produced a video which shows the destructive nature of fake fur and is being circulated worldwide, in China, Japan, Taiwan,...

IFF China Announces 2018 REMIX Design Competition Winner

January 25, 2018

On January 16, 2018, "Fushion Night" fur fashion show was held in China Beijing national convention centre, as one important activity of BIFE (Beijing International Fur & Leather Products Exhibition), NAFA Cup-The 14th China International Youth Fur Fashion Design Competition & 2018 IFF REMIX Competition China Selection also announced the final result. This year's competition received 980 design sketches from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and Italy. The total number of web click has reached 55446 times, and the total...

British designer Edward Crutchley collaborates with Kopenhagen Fur

January 4, 2018

Over three years ago, after about a dozen years working as a consultant for Louis Vuitton, among others, Edward Crutchley launched his namesake brand. Since then, season after season, the designer has stirred up the men’s wear market with runway designs that startle, wow and woo the fashion set. We talk with him about design, inspiration, and his collaboration with Kopenhagen Fur.

Russia takes 1st place at the 2017 Eurasia REMIX

December 5, 2017

On November 22, 2017, the final of the international contest of young fur designers Remix-Eurasia 2017 was held in Minsk (Republic of Belarus), organised by the Russian Fur Union in conjunction with the Republican Association "Belpushnina" with the support of the International Fur Federation. The contest was held in two stages: At the first stage, the jury determined the most talented and interesting sketches of young designers. At the second stage, jury evaluated the finished garments, prepared according to the sketches and determined the...

Asia Remix 2017

November 24, 2017

Asia Remix 2017 - ASIA fur design competition goes onstage in Taipei. The leading international event connects the entire fashion community worldwide and recognises Taiwan as a potential fashion hub. 2017.11.17 Taipei The international event, 'Asia Fur Design Competition – Asia Remix 2017 Grand Final' was a runway show and a competition held during the 'Taipei In-Style Fashion Week' in Taipei, Taiwan on 17 November 2017. The remarkable 13 finalists from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan were selected from 6000 entries submitted by...

110 years of Swakara

November 15, 2017

On the 28th of October 2017, the Swakara Board of Namibia celebrated 110 years of continuous production of their fantastic material. The day’s events were held in Keetmanshoop in the southern part of Namibia, which is also one of the centres for Swakara production. On September 24, 1907, the first 12 sheep – two rams and ten ewes -arrived on board a freight ship to Swakopmund in the east of the country. They were then moved by land to the farm which would go on...

Morten Ussing launched a new collection with Chinese brand LIU DU

September 7, 2017

On Sep 2nd, 2017, the Chinese fur brand "LIU DU" collaborated with Danish designer Morten Ussing to launch a new collection named Return to true self. The event was held at the Peninsula Beijing Hotel, as an extraordinary landmark, it houses over 30 world famous luxury brands, such as Chanel, Versace, Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, and more. The Asian flagship store of LIU DU was also here. Many celebrities were present the event, including Ms. Tao Hong, the famous international actress. Morten Ussing, graduated from...

China promoting high standards in their Dressers and Dyers

September 6, 2017

The China Fur Commission of the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) has since 2016 been running and promoting a program to improve the practices of fur dressers operating in China and reward those that are at a high level. Fur dressing happens across many countries from Canada to Cambodia, but the largest concentration of fur dressing and dyeing operations is in China along with the biggest retail market, so getting dressing right in China is a massive goal for the industry. The program has the...

Fur Explainer: Possum & Opossum

August 15, 2017

“Possum.” The word and what people mean when they say it has led to a growing confusion in recent years as it has increasingly been mistakenly applied to separate species. By and large there are two different animals people refer to when they use the word. The animal found in Australia and New Zealand which is truly a “possum” is often known as the “Brush-Tailed Possum.” The North American species that is often misnamed is in fact a separate animal entirely called an “opossum,” and...

IFF & Kopenhagen Fur Visit Dressers & Dyers in Asia

August 4, 2017

With sustainability and the demonstration of improving standards both increasingly a focus for the fur industry, it is more important than ever that those driving the agenda have a broad understanding of all levels of the value chain. It was in this context that representatives from IFF and Kopenhagen Fur spent a week this Summer visiting dressers and dyers across Cambodia, Vietnam & China. The delegation included, from Kopenhagen Fur Mr Jesper Uggerhøj (CEO), Mr Soren Valentin (COO) and Mr Thomas Andersen (Head of Dressing)...

Wild Fur Conference in Irkutsk, Russia

July 13, 2017

On the 22nd June 2017 an event was held in Irkutsk Russia entitled “Fur Harvesting in the 21st Century, Russia and the World.” The event was held as a part of the Russian “Year of Ecology” and was organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation with the support of the Russian Fur Union, the auction company “Sojuzpushnina” and the International Fur Federation (IFF). The event had been organised in order to pull together a mix of international and Russian...

WelFur: the bridge between responsible farming and fashion

June 19, 2017

Several months after the implementation of the science-based certification programme WelFur started, already 450 mink and fox farms had the first ever WelFur assessment visit. The number is hardly a surprise as 77 % of fur breeders in Europe rushed to sign for at last one visit in 2017 as soon as the implementation was announced. Farmer’s openness to the idea of a certification programme measuring and documenting animal welfare on fur farms is significant. European breeders know that animal welfare on farms is central...

People, get ready: FUR NOW Campaign 2017/18

May 12, 2017

“Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.” – ― Bill Cunningham. Morning my darlings! This Guru is full of excitement as the shooting and filming for FUR NOW 2017/18 Campaign is approaching quickly. Everyone is excited just to look at the pieces that so many of our members have generously sent from all around the world to be showcased. I wish my eyes could take pictures of the detail, the vibrant colours and patterns… Every single one of them reflects a...

Fur and shearling make their mark across RTW AW2017

March 13, 2017

Fur and shearling once again took centre stage across all four leading AW17 fashion weeks, with an estimated 67% of collections overall featuring the natural materials. This compares with last year’s AW collections when fur was seen in around 70% of all collections. Fur use is holding up despite pressure from animal rights organisations. From the oversized 70s throwback coats of Marc Jacobs to the soft longline pieces from Ryan Roche, New York Fashion Week saw 90 of 146 designers (62%) craft beautiful fur pieces....

Hong Kong Fur Gala 2017 皮草之夜

February 24, 2017

Summary of Designers Exhibiting at the 2017 HKFF. Click above to see the slideshow. (16 February - Hong Kong) The Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair 16 to 18 February, an annual highlight on the fashion calendar, kicked off today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. An exceptionally all-rounded range of exhibits, ranging from raw materials to fur apparel and accessories were in the limelight. The total exhibition space reached 30,000 square metres to congregate over 210 local and overseas exhibitors from...

Anti-Sealing Smear Campaigns Do More Harm Than Good

December 22, 2016

by FELICITY ROBERTS originally posted on The Overcast - Newfloundland's Alternative Newspaper on December 22, 2016 Seals have been politicised for decades now. No matter where you stand on the hunt, there’s no debating the fact that the high profile campaigns of the 70s and 80s, by for-profit groups like Greenpeace and the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), did very serious damage to the industry, and with it, the families and communities that depend on it. It was during those times, with the United...

Russian Fur Union Introduces the Next Generation to Fur

December 21, 2016

Russian Fur Union (RFU) started to develop a new project on introducing 12-15 year old school students to the fur industry. On the 3rd of December 2016, RFU organised a lecture «Fur Rainbow» conducted by the teachers of Moscow State Veterinary Academy which prepare fur specialists. In a frame work of this lecture students were told about fur as ecological and versatile material that can be used in all seasons of the year. Teachers demonstrated big variety of different fur kinds and talked about their...

The 2017 Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair

December 16, 2016

Hong Kong – the world’s largest fur exporter and fur trade centre Hong Kong has long been known as one of the biggest garment exporters in the world, yet many may not realise that this cosmopolitan in South East Asia also claims the globe’s largest fur exporter and fur trading centre! With decades of experience and expertise in fur production and exports, Hong Kong furriers are today shipping their stylish fur accessories and apparel to different corners in the world, gracing the racks of reputable...

NAFA Releases FRONTROW Magazine FW2016

November 25, 2016

The second issue of FrontRow Magazine is out for distribution Editor Carlotta Pellizzari introduces the Fall Winter 2016 edition with a quick summary. First, she mentions the collaboration between three luxury designers including Gianfranco Ferré Furs and NAFA that was exhibited at MiFur in Milan. She goes on to discuss the cover story about Fendi - the profile behind the brand, an interview with Pietro Beccari, Fendi CEO discussing the immensely successful show at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. NAFA's Vision 2020 is introduced as...

Stop Saying Fur Is Only for Fashion

November 22, 2016

A Message from Alice in Furs on the Canadian Blog Truth About Fur One of the arguments I hear over and over again is that fur is wrong because we are killing animals “for fashion”. Fur’s main purpose is not for fashion and I think it is time to set the record straight about why the majority of us wear fur. Defined as “A popular or the latest style of clothing, hair, decoration, or behavior” (Oxford Dictionary), fashion is constantly changing. When someone buys something...

Eurasia REMIX 2016 Fashion Show

November 17, 2016

On November 10th 2016, the Russian Fur Union, with the support of the International Fur Federation (IFF) held the 3rd international young designers competition Eurasia REMIX at Palace Suzora in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The annual fashion contest was held in two stages. The first stage of the competition consisted of a jury determining the finalists by the designer’s sketches. Designer’s selected for the second round would then have their ready garments judged by a panel that consisted of: Sergey Stolbov - Chairman of the IFF-Eurasia...

Asia Remix 2016

November 16, 2016

Japanese won the Grand Prix Asia Remix 2016 —Asia Young Designer Fur Design Competition International Fur Federation, “IFF”, held the “Asia Remix 2016” for the first time in Tokyo, Japan on October 31st, 2016 with the aim of supporting up-and-coming Asian designers and promoting the development of fur designs, techniques and newest fur trend with the support of the Japan Fur Association. Including Mr. Johannes Manakas (Global Chairman of International Fur Federation), Mr. Thomas Wong (Asia Chairman of IFF), Ms. Kelly Xu (IFF Asia CEO),...

Smoda: The Spanish Fashion Love Affair with Fur Returns

November 2, 2016

“At the heart of all great art is an essential melancholy.” -Federico Garcia Lorca Passionate by nature and passionate by choice, Spain is a country that has gifted the world with invaluable endowments like the candorous words of Garcia Lorca, the playful art of Picasso and the tantalizing insanity of Dali. It is a country that has channeled its past and history through an inexhaustible creative force. All the originators of this force have reflected through art, design and fashion a personal vision of the...

Welfur Initiative Gets BBC Coverage

October 20, 2016

WelFur is a new scheme developed to ensure animal welfare is a priority before fur pelts reach the auction houses. The program is entirely voluntary, although the auction houses will not sell furs that are not WelFur certified from 2020 onward. The scientist Jens Malmkvist from Aarhus University in Denmark is one of the scientists developing the new standards in fur farming. The scientists and veterinarians involved in the process are non-biased and unpaid from the fur farms. They are sponsored through the governments. "It...

Fendi and Saga Furs in Support of Young Talents for the Magic of Fur

October 6, 2016

FENDI and Saga Furs in support of young talents for the magic of fur Aiming at inspiring design students with the magic of fur as well as conveying the traditional fur skill and craft to the next generation, FENDI and Saga Furs have developed a unique internship experience for young talents to showcase their flair of creativity in fur design. Two leading design schools, London College of Fashion (LCF) in London and Accademia Costume & Moda (ACM) in Rome, were chosen as the hosts for...

CLIA Announce Updated Standards for Fur-Bearing Animals

October 6, 2016

On the 27th of June 2016, the China Fur Commission of the China Leather Industry Association (otherwise known as CLIA, an IFF member) held a press conference in Beijing to announce the updated standards for farming of fur-bearing animals. There was some media in attendance but further to this, the related press release was distributed to 23 major news portals (e.g. China Daily, Xinhua etc.).The original press release can be seen here in Chinese (HTTP://WWW.CHINALEATHER.ORG/NEWS/20160627/288754.SHTML). The original guidelines were released in 2005 and the updated...

Asia REMIX 2016 Finalists Announced

July 14, 2016

Thanks to a panel of judges, the finalists for Asia REMIX 2016 have been announced. The designers that gained the top 10 scores have been invited to compete for the women's wear category at the final event in Asia REMIX 2016 in Tokyo, Japan on 31st October, 2016. The 10 finalists are as follows (In alphabetical order): Yuki Ando (Japan) Ryu Kaga (Japan) Chie Kato (Japan) Eunjin Lee (Korea) Hanju Lee (Korea) Seungeung Lee (Korea) Cho Po (Hong Kong) Hiroshi Suzuki (Japan) Li Xuan Xuan...

Kopenhagen Fur Sneakers go high-tech at London Graduate Fashion Week

June 27, 2016

Kopenhagen Fur Sneakers The furrier has collaborated on some successfully selling sneakers in the past. In London Graduate Fashion week, they exhibited their most daring creation as of yet. Kopenhagen Fur has teamed up with Lenovo and the China Academy of Art to produce a highly sophisticated pair of sneakers. The first of it’s kind, pairs high quality fur for excellent comfort with the technology to monitor your health. They are capable of counting steps, reporting data into a cloud through a unique app, as...

New Production Figures Reveal Another Strong Year for the Global Fur Trade

June 17, 2016

London, 16th of June 2016 – Data unveiled today shows that 2015 was yet another successful year for the global fur sector – thanks to the continuing demand from fashion and interiors brands for mink, fox, chinchilla and sable among other fur types. In 2015, 71.27 million mink pelts were produced globally with a total value of $3.57bn*. There were also 8.93 million fox pelts with a value of more than $1.17bn*. This information from the International Fur Federation (IFF) shows the global reach of...

Fur Asia: Designer Spotlight

June 15, 2016

Our Fur Asia workshops are coming to a close today after a fun week lectured by two designers who were former fur futures members. Coen Carsten and Ernesto Hinojosa Ruiz both discussed current fur trends in the fashion industry to students of the Asia region. Coen Carstens Independent designer based in Amsterdam creates unique techniques in fur for brands including Versace and Viktor & Rolf. His work includes use of knit and pattern stitching to create a lighter feel with a stretchable form so as...

Eurasia Members Take Part in Workshop

June 9, 2016

Students from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan had the opportunity to visit a furrier workshop in Istanbul, Turkey. This Eurasia furrier workshop in Istanbul was held from 16-27 May. During these 2 weeks students from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan had a wonderful opportunity to study fur with professionals at modern manufactories. Educational process included basic furrier skill training, fur grading, cutting, sewing and the use of modern technologies in designing and tailoring fur and leather garments. Every day from 10am to 5pm students mastered...

Inaugural Fur Futures Americas Programme Takes Place in Toronto

April 28, 2016

The inaugural Fur Futures Americas programme was held in Toronto April 6 – 7th to coincide with the NAFA auction. Eight young people, interested in pursuing a career in fur, were invited for a two day educational themed meetings on all aspects of the fur trade. As a part of the event, the young people had an opportunity to learn about mink farming by visiting a Toronto-area farm that is internationally revered for its high standards and for producing high quality pelts. Following the tour, there...

Gordy Klassen Fur Trapper

April 2, 2014

Earlier this month, the Edmonton Journal released an article featuring Alberta trapper and Fur Institute of Canada (FIC) Board Member Gordy Klassen. The piece is a profile on Gordy, who shares his love of trapping and the Canadian wilderness. Gordy came from a family of hunters, but was always interested in trapping and started to save the money for his own traps at just 10 years old. He gathered knowledge from other local trappers and his father, who did a small amount of weasel trapping...