However, often, having decided to buy this luxurious product, women do not even know how to choose a mink coat or what exactly they need to pay attention to. Experts say that, first of all, you need to take into account the quality of outerwear, but its style is also important. There are several simple recommendations on how to choose the right mink coat, which will help you make a successful purchase.

How to choose a high-quality mink coat: simple methods

Before you go shopping for this expensive and luxurious item of women’s clothing, you should find out how to choose a high-quality mink coat, because this is the only way it will serve its owner for more than one season.

The following simple methods will help you evaluate the quality of fur used when sewing a fur coat:

1. Stroke the fur against the pile and evaluate how quickly it returns to its original position. If you see that the fur is sticking out and after some time the fur coat has not taken on an attractive appearance, you should not buy such a product, because it cannot be called high quality.

2. Take a close look at the skin itself; it should have fine fluff; it is this that gives outerwear high thermal properties. This is an effective method on how to choose a mink coat based on quality without paying money for it.

3. Test your outerwear for durability. This advice on how to choose the right mink coat will help you avoid buying a low-quality product. To do this, you need to lightly tug the fur by the pile; there should be no fur left in your hands. If it remains, it means that during wear your fur coat will constantly shed, losing its attractive appearance and ability to warm its owner in the harsh winter.

4. Pay attention to the seams of your outerwear. Manufacturers of high-quality natural mink fur products always leave a small piece of unlined lining at the bottom. This way the buyer can look inside and evaluate the quality of the seams. If all the seams are closed, you should think that the manufacturer wants to hide something from buyers, which means to deceive.

5. If you buy a coat made of dyed mink fur, check the quality of the dyeing. To do this, take a light cloth and rub the product with it; if marks remain, the painting was not done in good faith. When you buy a fur coat made of natural fur, check that there are no traces of rust or faded areas.

In the video above, how to choose a mink coat based on the quality of the product, you can see that there is no rust or scuffs on the clothes. This is exactly what a high quality fur coat should look like.

How to choose a natural mink coat: signs of authenticity

Products made from the skins of other fur-bearing animals are often sold under the guise of mink fur. There is one simple way to choose a natural mink coat - take a close look at the fibers; they should be the same length across all surfaces of the clothing.

This is one of the main signs of authenticity of natural mink fur. It is often replaced by a rabbit or a marmot; they can be distinguished by their short fur.

You can tell if something is fake by touch: rabbit fur is softer, mink fur is harder. The marmot's fur varies in length and is a little prickly.

In the video on how to choose the right mink coat, experts recommend that you definitely try on the model of fur product you like:

This is the only way you can understand whether you will be comfortable wearing this outerwear or not. The chosen fur coat must not be easily tried on once and removed; you must walk around the salon in it for several minutes.

It is worth listening to the advice on how to choose the right mink coat that experts give when talking about the price of a fur product. According to them, you will have to pay a lot of money for a high-quality fur coat. In addition, you can’t buy them in all fur stores, and they aren’t even available in every city.

The best mink coats are provided by famous stores in Europe.

Another useful tip on how to choose a mink coat when purchasing is to evaluate the appearance of the fur. It should shine, shimmer and have a rich color. This suggests that the animals were absolutely healthy, and their skins were amenable to proper processing and storage.

After watching video tips on how to choose a mink coat, you can draw many useful conclusions:

• You can buy a fur product only in salons that have been on the market for more than one year, have a good reputation and provide the buyer with a quality guarantee for their product;
• there should be no creases or folds on the fur coat, this indicates that the product has been stale or stored in poor conditions;
• seams in a quality product must be smooth, strong, without protruding threads or traces of glue;
• the lighter the mink fur, the lighter it is and the higher the price of the fur coat;
• It is advisable to buy a fur coat made from whole mink skins, but you should understand that in this case the item will cost much more;
• You need to ask the seller for a certificate for the product being offered and look at the labels; the markings on them must match.

How to choose a good mink coat by quality (with video)

Another tip on how to choose a good mink coat is to smell the outerwear; the mink fur should smell good, there should be no sharp or unpleasant odors. If such an odor is detected, this indicates that it was not produced in a factory.

If you watch a video on how to choose a high-quality mink coat, you can make the right choice of this expensive outerwear:

Never buy cheap products; high-quality mink fur cannot have a low cost. You should also understand that in the autumn-winter period such outerwear is always expensive, because there is a cold winter ahead. In summer, prices for mink coats fall and at this time you can really buy a luxurious mink product at a good price.

How to choose a transverse mink coat in a fashionable style

Recently, the attention of many women has been attracted to fur coats with transverse fur lining. They look more expensive and luxurious, and at the same time they cost a lot. How to choose a transverse mink coat, what to look for?

You can tell that the product is truly cross-sewn by looking at the seam on the back, because the skins are sewn together exactly in this place. However, many ladies perceive this feature of such outerwear as a defect, refusing to purchase a quality product.

Above in the photo, how to choose a mink coat by color, various stylish models are presented. However, there are no exact recommendations on how to choose the color of a mink coat, because everyone has their own taste, while mink fur is in demand regardless of whether it is dyed or natural.

Don’t know which fashionable style of fur product to choose?

Look above, our photos will certainly help you on how to choose the right mink coat, where the best styles of products are shown. If you are a tall and slender girl, you should not worry about choosing a style; any model of outerwear will look beautiful on such a figure.

Petite ladies should not wear long and bulky fur coats; a neat, fitted short fur coat is ideal.

In the harsh Russian winter, fur coats are the best clothing option. Before the revolution, they were exclusively the privilege of the rich class. The peasants wore rough sheepskin coats made of sheared sheepskin, more like modern sheepskin coats. Only the collar could be fur, doubling the cost of the product. Now, thanks to the artificial cultivation of fur-bearing animals, every person who has the financial means can have their own fur coat. It will not only reliably protect against the cold, but also increase the status of a woman. Men's models are now practically not used. We will give advice on choosing a fur coat, the best material for this item of clothing, and also talk about the main criteria for identifying a fake.

The main types of fur for fur coats

Now even furs, which half a century ago were not used for making fur coats, have been elevated to the “fur” category. It could be goat, beaver, lynx or even leather from some breeds of cow. The main species are still fox, arctic fox, sable, marten, and ermine. But mink is considered the standard of luxury. This is an American animal that is increasingly spreading throughout the country, changing its range. The mink leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, often fishes and spends time in the water, occasionally going onto land. Therefore, its fur does not get wet, has good directionality, and after drying it completely restores its shape. We will look at how to distinguish a high-quality mink coat, as well as the main varieties of this material.

Advantages and disadvantages of different types of fur

Let's take a closer look at each material option for fur coats:

• Mink. This is a very warm material, the best fur that does not get wet. Its shape is not lost even if you sit in a car for a long time. The only drawback is the really high price of the original product, as well as the need for constant care to maintain its appearance.
• Mouton. In fact, this is not fur, but the shorn skin of a special breed of sheep. Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the rather large mass of the product, as well as the rigidity of the pile. This is more of a sheepskin coat with the fur on the outside than a fur coat. Modern manufacturers have learned to give it the necessary softness. Therefore, such products look quite elegant.
• Nutria. Light, shiny, but rather rough-looking fur. It is difficult to call nutria a fur-bearing animal. It has a good directionality of the spine, so it is very easy for craftsmen to work with skins. The only disadvantage is the mass, and the advantage is the cost. In 90% of cases, its even color is made artificially using paint. Before choosing, you need to sniff - low-quality preparation often leaves the natural smell of the animal.
• Pesets This is a very warm and thick fur obtained from an Arctic fox species. It has a simply impeccable appearance, but it needs to be maintained. Withstands even the most severe frosts, but practically does not tolerate direct mechanical contact. It is not recommended to ride in such a fur coat in a car or carry a bag over your shoulder. Only dry cleaning will help fix bruises.
• Rabbit. This is a beautiful and soft option that can be styled to match any expensive fur. Its only drawback is that the spine is too thin, which simply wears out over the years. Therefore, a rabbit has a lifespan, no matter how strange it may sound. To make it “last” longer, you need to buy a shorn model. It is also prohibited for any product to rub against it in the closet. It also attracts moths like a magnet and gets very wet, despite the treatment.
• Fox. This is one of the most luxurious furs. It is practically free of drawbacks, but requires complex care in the presence of long pile. Another advantage is that a huge number of natural color variations have been bred in captivity, so you can buy an unusual fur coat that was made without dyeing.
• Astrakhan. Pros say that this fur does not retain heat well. Typically, such fur coats are used down to -15 degrees. Their undoubted advantage is their amazing wear resistance. Often products are passed down by inheritance, and the skins are altered to suit a fashionable style.

Pile processing

At the moment, there are two main varieties according to this criterion, namely:

• Cropped version. The main pile is cut so that it reaches the same length as the underfur. It is often called "fur velvet". The length of the hairs is short, and the entire surface is very soft to the touch.

This procedure is carried out for two purposes - to standardize the fur from different animals, and also to give a refined, familiar look. It is used to create cape short fur coats, mantles, as well as the famous style from the Channel model house. It does not wrinkle, does not change the direction of the pile, so it always looks perfect.

True, this choice is not suitable for harsh winters. This is a good product for everyday wear, for example, for car ladies getting out of the car in winter to the nearest office.

• Pinched version. This does not mean that the structure will look tattered. On the contrary, this is how the source material is refined. The master removes hairs that are substandard in color or length manually with tweezers, resulting in a long-haired fabric of the highest quality. This is the best choice for severe snowstorms and severe frosts. Can be used to create any style.

Review of styles

We will tell you which mink coat to choose and for what purposes:

• Short coat. This is the best option for business women who constantly get out of the car. The main advantage is that you don’t need to take off the item – it won’t get wrinkled even if you sit carelessly in a chair.
• Fur coat The length of this cut can vary - from mid-thigh to toe. A distinctive feature is the absence of a hood and the presence of a belt. This fur coat will best highlight your figure.
• Channel. This style was invented by the famous Coco Chanel, but it remains popular to this day. This is a straight fur coat to mid-thigh with a stand-up collar.
• Trapezoid. This is the most successful option for those who want to hide the flaws of their figure. It is notable for the fact that the advantages of the figure, on the contrary, will be emphasized.
• A-line cut. It just resembles this letter. The main advantage is the ability to be worn with a hood or belt, as well as without them. Each option will look interesting in its own way.

According to the sewing method, a distinction is made between the transverse and longitudinal arrangement of the skins. Externally, these models are very different. The first option is expressive, for fashionable things, and the second is a time-tested classic.

So which fur coat should you choose?

Naturally, mink is the most preferred option. The main protection against counterfeits is going to a trusted store. Buying second hand or from an unknown retail chain may result in receiving a counterfeit, which only an expert can recognize.

It is also necessary to understand that these products are often passed down by inheritance; they can be redone by craftsmen by changing the style. But this requires proper care and appropriate storage conditions.

A real high-quality fur coat is a woman’s pride. A real fur coat is evidence of her wealth, both feminine and material. Finally, a real fur coat will never allow you to freeze even in the most severe cold.

But how to choose it - a real fur coat? How not to make a mistake by purchasing a poor fake instead of real fur? Remember! Our selection of important recommendations will help you:

Tip #1. What should you pay attention to first?

The best way to start choosing is by touch. Touch the fur, remember it with your hands. If it's nice and soft, dry and smooth, that's what you need!

To make sure of the strength of the future shower coat and its durability (after all, a fur coat is not bought for one season!), tug on the wool. They must “sit” to death! High-quality wool will not come out if you rub the fur coat with a cloth. Pay special attention to this moment - you don’t want to walk around in the middle of winter in a bald fur coat!

Check the flesh - this is the back side of the skins. To do this you will have to look under the lining. Undyed fur is white, and a yellowish tint indicates that the fur is old. In addition, good “fresh” fur shines and shimmers in the light, unlike dull, low-quality fur.

Ignore the smiles of the seller - continue to study your future purchase. You can blow on the fur and make sure that all the fibers straighten out immediately, or squeeze it in your hand and sharply release it - the result should be the same.

A good fur coat does not smell. This is an axiom. Any foreign smell is a reason to be wary.

The bright color of the fur coat you like is not a guarantee that the new thing will remain as bright in the future. If you really want to dress up in a fashionable green or scarlet fur coat, rub it with the same white piece of cloth. If the fabric is not dyed, there is hope that the color of the fur coat will not change.

Tip #2. Where to buy a fur coat?

The answer is simple and completely unambiguous - in a specialized store or a reputable fur salon that has been operating for several years. The warranty period in the case of a fur coat lasts almost a whole year. Why refuse the opportunity to exchange low-quality goods during this period? If you decide to buy a fur coat at the market, no one will exchange it for you. And he won’t return the money!

Tip #3. Which model should you choose?

In addition to fashion, there is also such a thing as convenience. For example, if you plan to walk in a new fur coat with a small child in a stroller, you will need a long and very warm new coat made from beaver, male mink, fox or arctic fox. For ladies who are constantly driving, a short fur coat would be a good option - it does not interfere with driving. A fur jacket made from short-haired mink or otter fur is also suitable.

Tip #4. Should I buy a coat made of dyed fur?

It happens that a fur coat is dyed for only one purpose - to disguise defects in the workmanship. In such cases, a dark color is usually used. Of course, you shouldn’t buy such a fur coat.

However, there are product categories that simply need to be painted. For example, this includes a fur coat made from the skins of wild nutria, which are not very attractive in color and need to be refined.

Don’t forget that fur coats in bright colors are now in fashion, which can only be achieved through dyeing.

Modern technologies make it possible to achieve high-quality coloring, therefore, when buying a product from a reliable store, you should not worry about the durability of the bright color.

Tip #5. Trader secrets: how to expose a rabbit?

It's unpleasant to realize that you bought a fake. At the same time, the fur may be natural, but not at all what you expected, and most importantly - cheaper.
For example, a rabbit often has to “play” the role of a mink or chinchilla. It’s not difficult to expose him, you just need to know a couple of secrets.

A real mink has rough fur, while a rabbit has very soft fur.

A real chinchilla is cool to the touch. If you are not too lazy to study the undersides of the skins, you will be convinced that chinchilla skins reach a length of only 20-25 cm, while rabbit skins are longer - up to 70 cm.

Instead of a mink, they may give you a marmot. Cheap Ukrainian mink is often passed off by sellers as more expensive Canadian mink. Signs by which you recognize a fake:

The marmot's fur is slightly prickly, its hairs are of different lengths - unlike mink.

The Canadian mink is very fluffy, and the skins of its Ukrainian “sister” have rather scanty down.

To avoid buying a relatively inexpensive fox fur coat instead of a silver fox, just count the number of colors in the fur. Each silver fox fur starts at the base with a gray color that fades to white, ending in black. Foxdog is two-colored.

A raccoon and a raccoon dog are basically related, but that's not enough to warrant paying the same amount of money for them. The raccoon is noticeably more expensive because its fur is warmer due to the comparative rigidity of the spine and down. The fur of a raccoon dog is softer, but retains heat less well.

For the warmest beaver coat, the seller can sell dyed nutria, which has poorer fur, not so thick and dense.

Tip #6. A few more tricks

Can you easily look behind the lining? This means that the fur coat is of high quality - the manufacturer does not consider it necessary to hide anything from the buyer. In a company store, it’s not a sin to ask the seller to slightly rip the lining - this is the only way you can be sure of the quality of the seams.

A fur coat without flesh (the back side of the skin) is not a fur coat. In any case, it has no right to be called a natural fur coat. Well-made flesh, no matter how you shake it, will not creak or crunch. The most she can make is a quiet, delicate rustle.

Don't be content with just looking at the quality certificate - check its data with the information indicated on the label - country of origin and type of fur.

If you need the warmest fur coat, choose fox, beaver, sable or arctic fox. In second place are astrakhan fur and goat, and in third place are mink and chinchilla.

If the main thing for you is for your fur coat to last longer, give preference to an otter or a brown bear. They are followed by mink, sable, beaver and astrakhan fur. Next are the arctic fox, the fox and the sheepskin, and the rabbit, the marmot and the chinchilla close the pedestal.
A properly chosen fur coat will give you self-confidence and save you from frost in winter.

Usually, when choosing a fur coat, a standard question arises: what is the quality of this item. Despite all the simplicity and apparent unambiguity, very often there is a misunderstanding between the seller and the buyer, because a fur coat does not have such universal comparative indicators as “acceleration time to 100 km”, “number of pixels” or “suction power”, therefore, what a good quality is (like happiness) in this case, everyone understands in their own way.

The only objective quality parameter is wear resistance, the rest lies in the abstract-subjective area: for some, quality is a fashionable design, a famous brand and an original style, for others - the country of production, for others - fur, dressing and tailoring, for others - service life .

The value of fur determined by the thickness of the hair, its height, softness, and the presence of shine. The most valuable fur is considered to be mink or sable. The quality of mink varies in color, thickness, and sewing method.

The cheapest mink- nutty, that is, light brown, then comes dark brown. Then - a variety of red ones, from juicy golden honey to light amber. Even more expensive are black mink, beige, gray and blue (also gray, but with a grayish-blue tint). In the next price category are the so-called “tourmaline” (beige undercoat and brown long hair, which creates an interesting smoky effect) and white fur (sometimes with gray hair). The most expensive mink today is the “black diamond” mink, black with a blue or purple tint. It can be difficult for an inexperienced buyer to distinguish it from just black. In addition, skilled furriers have learned to dye cheaper fur so skillfully that at first glance you can’t tell the difference: the fur also sparkles and shimmers. There is only one method: spread the undercoat with your fingers (it should be purely black) and check the color of the skin. If the skin has not been subjected to hairdressing procedures, it should remain white.

Life time The product is directly dependent on the wear resistance of the fur. Otter fur is the most durable. A fur coat made from such fur will last all 20 seasons, from river beaver - 18, fur seal - 15-17, mink - 10, marten, blue fox and astrakhan fur - 7, fox, nutria - 5, squirrel, marmot - 4, rabbit - 2 season.

The quality of a fur coat and other fur products directly depends on the wearability of the fur. Sock fur does not go bald, does not fade, does not dry out, and a fur coat made from such fur is not afraid of rain, snow, or even the crush of public transport.
When assessing the quality of fur, the following are taken into account: density, height, shine, color fastness, softness and color of the hair; softness, ductility and tensile strength of leather fabric; presence of defects. An important indicator of fur quality is wearability, which is shown in the table. Otter fur has maximum durability (100 points and 20 seasons of wear before major repairs).

		Wearability, %
River beaver
Sea seal
Astrakhan
Red fox
Muskrat
Rabbit shorn
Long-haired rabbit

However, all these terms are relative, because some women manage to wear their astrakhan fur coat for decades and pass it on to their grandchildren in decent condition.

According to the heat resistance indicator, fur can be arranged in the following order: arctic fox, deer, raccoon dog, fox, wolf, hare, marten, sable, mink, weasel, astrakhan fur. The fur of a shorn rabbit, goat, marmot, or ermine does not warm well. And the fur of a hamster or gopher does not warm at all.

Also, the fur coat should not be too light. In pursuit of lighter weight and saving fur, furriers often stretch the fur greatly: the thickness of the skin decreases, and the distance between the hairs increases, as a result the fur coat becomes cold. The weight of the finished product depends on the length of the fur, the quality of the skins and the presence of insulation. By the way, recently insulation is either not used at all, or is used only in the chest and back area. Fur coats made from the skins of males are warmer, but females are cooler, lighter and more expensive.

Well, now let’s take a closer look at the quality of the product.

Fur coat quality depends on the quality of the fur and the quality of tailoring.

In order for the skin to be suitable for sewing, it must be soft and easily bendable. The nuances of dressing usually depend on the type and condition of the skin being processed. To obtain the desired result, the skin goes through 4 main stages of processing: preliminary cleaning and soaking; removal of vein residues; leather tanning and final cleansing. Removing the protective hair (if necessary), cleaning the treated skin to reduce weight and give it elasticity are distinguished and are a separate technical operation.

In order to verify the factory origin of the product, first smell it. “Self-made” emits a sharp, and also not very pleasant smell. Next, crumple some part of the product, for example, a sleeve or shelf. When decompressed, this piece should immediately return to its original shape. Remember, the skin should be soft and the hair shiny and crumbly.

The easiest way to test the quality of mink fur for durability is to grab a few hairs with your fingers (as if you were taking a pinch of salt), lift the fur coat and wiggle it a little. If the hairs don't come out, you have a reliable fur coat. You can also shake the fur coat and see how the lint falls off. If the process is clearly not intensive (after drying procedures any fresh fur coat will “fly”), then everything is fine.

And, of course, the fur must be the same length over the entire area of ​​the fur coat; depressions and, especially, bald spots are unacceptable. If the fur is dyed, pay attention to the color, it should be uniform on all parts. Run your hand over the fur several times - you should not have a greasy feeling in your palm, high-quality fur is always elastic and silky to the touch.

Unscrew the lining and look at the leather fabric. A good fur coat is soft, smooth and elastic. If the leather fabric is hard, rustles or rattles under your hand, then there is a high probability of poor quality and fragility of the fur coat.

Is it worth buying dyed fur coats?

Here it is necessary to distinguish why the fur was dyed. If the purpose is to hide defects in fur and its dressing (dark colors are usually used for this), then this is unacceptable. But there are other purposes for coloring. For example, for wild nutria, fur dyeing is mandatory, because... The natural color is not very attractive.
In addition, fur fashion dictates an expansion of the color range of furs, and fur tinting or dyeing it in one or more colors is very often used.
Considering the high level of modern technology and the high quality of dyes, such dyeing does not significantly affect the quality of fur.
Therefore, if you like a fur coat made of bright red mink or purple fox, feel free to buy it and do not deny yourself anything.

How to distinguish fur from fake?

Quality standard for fur products

This review is not about determining whether a fur product meets the quality standard of dressing and tailoring. Often, cheaper fur is passed off as more expensive; for example, marten fur used to be passed off as expensive sable fur. We will focus our attention on such cases.

Beaver fur and nutria fur

Beaver fur is often counterfeited with nutria fur. To distinguish the fur of a borb, pay attention to the undercoats; the fur of a borb is thick. The second thing you should pay attention to is the awn - the beaver has a longer awn.

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