FAQs

According to a study titled “Environmental Consequences of Textile Marketing” undertaken at Oregon State University a broad range of textiles including wool, leather, fur, cotton, silk, linen, rayon, polyester, nylon and acrylic were evaluated across a number of environmental variables. For a textile to be considered compatible with the environment it had to be non-polluting to obtain, process, fabricate, maintain and
dispose; 100% biodegradable; long-lasting; renewable; reusable; natural/non-toxic; energy efficient to obtain and produce and producing minimal waste in it’s production. In composite scoring across all environmental criteria, fur outperformed all other textiles.

Plus, there’s something positive to be said for people who never “fake it!”

You most certainly can. We would appreciate your business!  (To check out our available services please click here.)

You don’t even have to wait for winter anymore! Warm weather fashions are available year-round such as; feather-weight jackets, vests, crop jackets, shawls, capes, wraps, fur-trimmed jeans and more.

If a retailer is actually marking down their products this much, chances are they are offering defective goods or products that have been in inventory for a long time that they just want to get rid of. Although this might be a good deal for both the buyer and the seller, the customer must keep in mind that the life of the garment is greatly reduced.

For example: Furrier #1 offers you a mink coat with a retail price of $4850 at 30% Off for $3400. Furrier #2 offers you a mink coat that is marked with a retail price of $17,000 and is marked down 80% to $3400. Ignore the 30% and 80% discounts, these coats are most likely equivalent. You must look at the fur quality of the mink and the overall style and fit of the garment. (Click here to view fur attributes to compare) Don’t think furrier #2 is giving you a GREAT deal just because they offered you an 80% discount.

Buyer beware! A store that offers 50% off all the time probably isn’t really quoting a sale price, but what should be considered a regular retail price. At Dittrich’s the retail price is as low as possible all of the time, when we have a promotion it is truly a sale (a special savings retained by Dittrich’s and passed on to YOU, the customer).

Not all mink coats are alike. There are a wide range of fur qualities and manufacturing processes. Skin origin, size, length and sweep all affect the cost of a garment. If you see a mink coat or jacket advertised for $500-$2999 you are most likely purchasing defective, inferior, old or low-quality merchandise. In addition, you are probably still paying too much for what you are getting, caveat emptor (Buyer Beware!)

Tricks used to sell an inexpensive mink coat include:

• Manufacturing from inferior materials that may have bare spots that will become visible as the garment is worn.
• Manufacturer has left undesirable parts of the skins intact to save material costs.
• Made from low quality skins and heavily dyed to cover poor color and skin matching.
• Sale of old inventory that would be considered past its “shelf life”.
• Not clearly stating items for sale are used (previously owned).

For example, if an American retailer pays $1000 US and a Canadian retailer pay $1500 CAN, ($1000 US = $1500 CAN) for merchandise, equivalent costs are calculated into the final retail price no matter which currency is used. In other words, there are no savings being passed to the final retail customer.

In actuality, foreign companies usually have greater expenses for shipping and customs which have to be reflected in the final price offered to the retail customer.

The only way to buy for less is to purchase lower quality goods and inferior service.

Set a date to shop at Dittrich Furs and try on as many fur outerwear fashions as you like to find what suits your sense of style. We offer items for almost every budget and price range. Our professional staff will discuss payment options with you to put together a plan that fits your individual situation. Our payment options are very flexible and we make it simple to get you into your new fur fashion as quickly and easily as possible.

• Standard alterations (with purchases over $800, some exceptions may apply for purchases under $800)
• Monogram (with purchases over $800)
• Certificate of appraisal
• I.D. Tag
• A lifetime relationship with Dittrich Furs and superior service.

• Royal Dynasty – The highest standard in quality Ranch Mink coats certified by a committee of fur industry leaders. This certification takes into account, not only the quality of the fur pelts but, style and craftsmanship also. Only a few coats are given this prestigious award each year and every Royal Dynasty has it’s own certification #. Available ONLY at Dittrich Furs in Michigan.
• Blackglama – Label that is given to the top quality mink skins sold through the Seattle fur auctions. This label assures that coats made from these pelts are of upper-end quality.
• American Legend – A rating system used for mink pelts sold through the North American Fur Auctions. There are 3 levels to the rating system; 3-Star, 4-Star and 5-Star which represents the highest quality sold through this specific auction house.
• Black Diamond – A retailer owned label that has no official bearing on quality or craftsmanship.
• Dittrich Furs – Label sewn into all garments sold by Dittrich Furs. This label assures that the garment has passed our rigorous product inspection, guaranteeing the product is of exceptional value and has passed Dittrich’s strict quality standards.
• Furcare.org – a consumer advocacy label to ensure proper knowledge is given to fur consumers on proper care of fur garments. (see www.furcare.org) Only fur coats sold by furriers CERTIFIED by Furcare.org have the right to distribute these labels in their merchandise.

Female pelts are much smaller that male pelts and create a narrower striping in the final garment than male pelts. Male pelts usually have thicker leather which causes the final garment to weigh slightly more than a garment made of female pelts. Typically, (but far from always) female pelts have a lower nap (creating a more velvety appearance) which is more desirable in a finished garment.

As far as price is concerned it, depends on current international market values to as which, male or female, will cost more. Female pelts cost less money to buy at auctions because they are smaller, but it takes more female pelts to manufacture a garment because of their smaller size. Because of this, garments made from female pelts will typically be more expensive than those made from male pelts. In US markets there is a higher demand for fur garments made from female mink pelts due to their characteristics, this also causes the prices of such to be higher.

“Black Diamond” is a retailers label. However there are several different labels that are put in mink coats that assure high levels of quality. Currently there are several labels to look for:

• Black Willow – Label that comes with skins from a specific mink ranch in Utah that produces the finest quality mink skins available.
• Blackglama – Label that is given to the 35-40% top quality mink skins sold through the Seattle fur auctions.
• Royal Dynasty – The highest standard in quality Ranch Mink coats certified by a committee of fur industry leaders. This certification takes into account, not only the quality of the skins but, style and manufacturing also. Each label has it’s own certification #. Available only at Dittrich Furs in this area.

All fur consists of two parts, or layers. There is a short, fuzzy layer called the “underfur” and longer, shiny hairs more sparsely spread out called the “guard hairs”. The distance between the top of the underfur and the tip of the guard hairs is called the “nap”. Nap is only relevant in regard to shorter hair furs such as mink.

Using mink as an example: The higher, or longer, the nap is, the harrier the coat will look. The shorter the nap, the more velvety the garment will appear.

1. Dittrich Furs does not buy used furs or outerwear.  However, we do accept them as “trade-ins”.  The best option and greatest value for your used fur can be obtained by trading it in on a new Dittrich’s  fashion item.  Dittrich furs accepts used fur trade-ins year-round.  Although Dittrich Furs does not buy or sell used furs we are pleased to be able to provide this as an option due to our ability to sell used fur garments in bulk to wholesalers that deal in used furs and “spare part” matching.
   Typically used furs have little to no value due to the fact that they are first, used clothing, and secondly are a biological product that biodegrades over time which limits the length of its useful product life. Your trade-in allowance is usually several times its actual $$ value when sold outright in the private market and even more than what you can get for it via resale and pawn shops.
2. Dittrich Furs can remodel or resize your older fur into an updated style to suit your taste.This is usually an extremely economical and useful option, and the posibilities are endless.We can shear your tired looking fur for an updated look. Or, we can remodel your fur garment into an updated style by, for example, removing shoulder pads, narrowing the sleeves and body and restyling the collar. Sometimes even small update such as shortening a full length coat into a 7/8 car coat and adding cuffs can turn your fur coat that hangs in the closet into your favorite outerwear item by reducing its weight and making it more practical for getting in and out of the car, as well as turning it into a versatile fashion item that can be both “dressed up” for a formal affair or “dressed down” for a casual evening.Other options could include turning your fur coat into bomber jacket or stylish vest. You could also have your fur coat or jacket turned into several heirloom Fur Teddy Bears or throw pillows. Turn your fur garment into a vest and use the left over material to trim a hat, jeans, pants, sweaters, cloth coats and jackets, etc. Turn your fur garment into a fixed or detachable lining for a rain/trench coat.
3. Give it as a gift to friends or family.
4. Sell it privately, to an aquaintance or either via the newspaper or internet classified ads (i.e. craigslist.com) or an online auction site (i.e. ebay.com). Please visit either Dittrich Furs location with your item so we can give you an idea of what to ask for as a selling price.[Please note that Dittrich Furs does not endorse any of these methods or individual internet sites and only offers the above as a suggestion to begin your own research.]
5. Give it away to charity (such as a church rummage sale or The Salvation Army) to use as an itemized deduction, Please visit either Dittrich Furs location so we can give you information on which to base your deduction. [Dittrich Furs does not offer tax or legal advice, please consult your attorney or tax advisor.]
6. Take it to a resale or pawn shop and have them sell it for you. While this option usually offers the least amount of $$ for your item, it is typically more convenient than selling your fur item yourself.

We offer retail replacement Appraisals for insurance purposes and Letters of Valuation for estate or tax purposes.

A “fair market value” takes into account the age and condition of a garment and is the amount for which it should be sold privately. An Appraisal is an official certificate stating the current replacement cost of the garment. (retail price to purchase that exact same garment as a new item.)

The fair market value is usually used for estate and tax purposes.

Dittrich Furs offers Certificate of Appraisals and letters stating a fair market value for individual garments. Our appraisal certificates are accepted by U.S. and Canadian taxing authorities and insurance companies worldwide.

If you would like to know what you should sell your fur garment for via a private sale (such as in the classifieds) we can help you with that also. This is usually a verbal assessment and there is no charge for this service. (For any of the above values, garments must be brought into Dittrich’s for a manager’s examination)

Take care of your garment properly to keep it looking great for years to come with Dittrich’s storage and cleaning.

Yes, it is important to protect your investment. Dittrich Furs offers the most comprehensive alternative to Insurance available at for very low rates. Dittrichs FUR REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE entitles you to full replacement value of your fur toward the purchase of a new Dittrich fur with no deductible and no depreciation. Your fur is covered for all risk of loss such as fire, theft, vandalism and accidental damage. Our certificate covers your furs world-wide and while in possession of third parties.

Plus… FREE COLD STORAGE (in and out as many times during the year as you wish).

Cold storage (approx. 34 ° F) protects your fur from the summer’s heat and humidity. Heat is a furs worst enemy, drying out the leather skins and subtracting from the life of the garment. Low humidity can dry out the skins and high humidity can cause “dry-rot” in the leather. Proper storage facilities are temperature, humidity and light controlled. They are also impervious to other dangers that may threaten your fur garment, such as insects and vermin. Please see our section on fur storage under “services”.

Wherever you may store your fur garments it is important to ask to see the vaults. You should certain your coats are being stored in adequate facilities. If your furrier’s facilities consist of an air conditioned room you are throwing your money away!
For information or caring for your fur please reference www.furcare.org.

Fur experts recommend cleaning your coat at least once a year, even if it has not been worn. If you wear your fur a lot, then it is recommended to clean it twice, once during the winter season and once during the summer.
Fur attracts dust and pollutants in the air. These substances get caught in the hair and absorb the natural oils from the pelts like a sponge. This causes them to dry out and become stiff and brittle. When your coat is cleaned these substances are removed, slowing the inevitable drying process. Cleaning and storing your fur every year could be the difference between your coat lasting 8 years or 20+ years.

By an Authorized Furrier only. Trust your investment only to experts who know their business. The cleaning of fur is an entirely different process than cleaning any other material. The dry-cleaning process severely damages fur material. Most dry-cleaners either send their customers furs to furriers, or in some cases, due to their lack of knowledge, damage their customers items by dry-cleaning their furs.

For more information, and to locate an Authorized Fur Care Specialists please visit www.furcare.org.

(Note to Drycleaners: Dittrich Furs offers wholesale cleaning services. We can also provide repair work for any fur garment damaged from the drycleaning process. Please contact Dittrich Furs by phone for further details.)

The goal is to bring the garments temperature to as close to freezing as possible, without actually freezing it. The colder the temperature, the slower the degradation. Freezing a fur would actually stop the process entirely, but a cycle of freezing and thawing would cause damage to both the leather and the fur itself. (think about all the potholes that appear in the roads during the spring.) Temperatures above 38 °F begin to loose its effectiveness as cold storage. Temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s are not effective at all.

For information or caring for your fur please reference www.furcare.org.

Keep your fur in a ventilated closet. Keep it away from any heat sources. Limit its exposure to light (both artificial and sunlight). NEVER keep your fur in a cedar closet or near mothballs. Attics and basements are usually too humid. Use a hanger with wide shoulders. Under NO circumstances should you ever put a fur garment in a refrigerator or freezer!
Do not keep it in a bag. Cloth and paper bags will cause crushing and wear. In addition to wear, plastic bags will prevent air circulation, causing your fur to dry out.

DO NOT STORE FUR GARMENTS IN A BAG OF ANY MATERIAL INCLUDING BREATHABLE CLOTH, PLASTIC, ETC.
GARMENT BAGS SHOULD BE USED FOR TRAVELING PURPOSES ONLY!

For information or caring for your fur please reference www.furcare.org.

Mothballs chemically react with the natural oils in fur and leather causing it to effectively dry out and molecularly breakdown. The smell will also permeate the leather and will be very difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

For information or caring for your fur please reference www.furcare.org.

It costs less to protect your lining than to replace it ($300.00 to $900.00). Most linings are made from a silk and satin blend. As luxurious as these materials are, they retain stains rather stubbornly.

IMPORTANT: If it should get soaked completely through to the leather side and feels “water-logged” 1.) seal it in a plastic bag, and 2.) immediately take it to a reputable fur retailer with an on-site Master Furrier.
Special attention will be required to assure that the pelts do not shrink or mis-shape.