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How to Select Your First Fur

A fur is a lifetime investment. With the proper care, a mink coat can last 20 years or more. So it’s important to shop judiciously and buy carefully. Here are some tips from the the staff at Dittrich furs, with 106 years of experience, for selecting your special coat or jacket:

  • Buy from a recognized furrier who specializes in furs. A furrier knows more about the product and can educate you and help you make the best possible selection.
  • Consider how you’ll wear your fur. If you want an everyday fur, mink, beaver, raccoon or coyote may be your best choices. If you prefer a luxury or dressy fur, mink, sable, lynx or fox may suit you better. In any event, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to buy a fur that will be appropriate for all occasions. So select the one that will suit your overall lifestyle best.
  • A mink coat can be purchased today for $2,500 – $30,000. Why the difference? Because mink is sold at auction and there are a limited number of fine pelts available. Normally you should be able to find a good to above average coat in the $8,000 to $14,000 range. Buyers should be cautious that the fur, like most retail industries, has disreputable persons out there selling dyed weasel from China or dyed kolinsky and marmot as mink coats. These coats are normally not worth $1,000, let alone the $1,495 or $1,995 being charged. Due to demand, furs have gone up 35-45 percent at the auction level this year, but they are still a bargain compared to the price levels of the late 1980’s. When buying, ask to see a $6,000 mink next to a $10,000 mink and then ask, “Why the difference?” What should you look for? In a nutshell look for soft supple furs with consistent color and hair-length throughout the entire garment. The more expensive mink should have a greater density of fur and a more lightweight comfortable fit.
  • Don’t be overly concerned with quality and price. Consider fashion first, because if you don’t love your coat, it won’t matter how fine the fur it is or how much you paid for it. Once you’ve decided what style and type of coat you’re looking for, your salesperson can help you find a beautiful coat that will fit your budget perfectly.
  • Have your salesperson “educate” you in furs.
  • The salesperson should be able to show garments of lesser and greater quality for comparison and explain why they are such.