How to understand that a mink coat is real. A fake from a rabbit, a beaver and a groundhog. Assess by touch

24.06.2019

Instruction

First of all, make sure that you have natural fur in front of you. Lay the fur coat on a flat surface, point a strong light source at the fur. Take a look at the product. Like natural, natural fur does not happen without small flaws. Faux fur, as a rule, has an even uniform color, but natural fur contains skins, albeit of the same shade, but of different color intensity.

Take a magnifying glass and examine the individual hairs. As in humans, in animals, each hair is colored unevenly and has a different thickness. From follicle to tip, each hair will gain color intensity and narrow. The artificial hair is usually the same color throughout and the same width, with a flat tip, in contrast to the pointed end on the villi of natural fur.

Pull out a few hairs, take them with tweezers and run them over the flame. Faux fur does not burn, but melts, besides, a chemical smell is felt. Natural hair "cracks" and smells like burnt horn. Furs closest to mink are sable and muskrat. It is unlikely that someone will try to sell you a sable coat for the price of a mink one, since this one is not only rarer, but also more expensive. The fur is smooth, with an abundance of guard hairs, "oily", that is, with a natural "wet" sheen, the skins are long and narrow. The base - the skin - is poorly visible in the mink due to the rather thick undercoat. Ondarta has much less outer hair, the shine is duller, and the base can be seen through the undercoat.

Mink is light fur. But if it seemed to you that one mink coat is a little heavier than the other, this does not mean that the second is a fake. The fur obtained from females is softer, silky and light, while from males it is somewhat coarser, thicker and heavier.

The natural colors of mink are shades of brown, from deep to light and even caramel, they have a natural, slightly striped pattern. The color of black mink varies from oily dark black to soft grey. White mink - with a soft creamy tint. Good expensive mink is valued for its natural color, dyed, as a rule, hides some flaws. Only furriers of very large and expensive brands can properly paint mink for design projects, and their products are single and not cheap. Some mass producers may choose to bleach or dye the skins with dyes that make the fur weak, and the fur coat, after a while, begins to shed like an ordinary rabbit.

Pay attention to the lining of the fur coat. The reverse side of the skins should be soft and suede, the pattern that was used when cutting the skins should be clear, the seams should be clean, without fur stuck in them. Products made of natural mink are traditionally sewn with two linings - either a woolen fabric is attached to the wrong side, which provides additional warmth, and a satin lining that adorns the inside of the fur coat.

Sellers of fur products are ready to go to any tricks to sell goods, including low-quality ones. They offer all sorts of discounts, gifts, free dry cleaning. But do not succumb to these tricks, otherwise after the purchase you can be very disappointed.

It has already been verified that a high-quality mink coat, with proper care, can serve the owner for ten seasons. This pleases, because a product made from such fur is not cheap. It is better to buy a fur coat in specialized salons, then the probability of buying a low-quality item is significantly reduced.

Rules for choosing a fur coat

In order for a fur thing to look like new for several seasons, it is necessary to follow several rules when buying.

1. Fur should be shiny and thick. To determine this, you just need to carefully feel the product: the fur should be dense, and the skin should be thick.

2. The next step in checking the quality of a mink coat should be its inspection in the light. Good fur will shimmer and flow. It is immediately necessary to smell the product, the fur coat should not have extraneous odors, give off mustiness.

3. Mink should not shed! This is easy to check: you just need to run your wet hand over the fur coat, the hairs should not remain in the palm of your hand.

4. The fur should not break, even if it is folded in half, the undercoat will necessarily be thick in a quality product.

5. The product should not crunch when it is crushed in the hands. If, nevertheless, this happens, you can safely refuse to buy, because the flesh of such a thing is too dry, and this will lead to rapid wear in the first season.

6. An honest manufacturer never sews a lining on a mink coat. This makes it possible to evaluate the inside of the product. If there are uneven seams, pieces of fur are tightly stretched, there are tears, the thing will not last long. And don't waste money on it.

7. Fur coats made of undyed fur are considered the highest quality and most expensive. This is very easy to determine, just blow on the fur and look at the mezra. If it is light, the fur is a natural color.

8. Some unscrupulous manufacturers simply alter old products, passing them off as trendy items. But even this is easy to determine: in this case, the mink pieces will be of different sizes, non-uniform in color, and the fur may fall out in shreds.

Knowing these details, you can easily distinguish a low-quality product from a good mink coat on your own. When buying, you should not be guided only by the recommendations of the seller, because his main goal is to sell his goods.

Mink coats are the dream of any woman, regardless of her age and status. Today there is a wide selection of different models, so choosing a really high-quality option is not so easy. Due to the fact that there are fake mink fur on the market, women can get into a very unpleasant situation. To prevent this from happening, you need to know how to determine the quality of a mink coat.

Possible defects

You can avoid buying a fake if you know the common defects in mink fur. This should include:

Uneven fur color, fading, wear. All these flaws indicate that old and low-quality fur was used for tailoring.
Don't know how to check the quality? Then inspect the fur coat for red spots. If they are true, then this suggests that the animals were kept in iron cages. Be sure that getting rid of such stains is simply impossible.
Fur villi stick together, there is no gloss and gloss. These defects indicate that the technology was not exactly followed in the manufacture.
The villi have an uneven surface. Their appearance is similar to the result of a poor-quality haircut. Most likely, the fur was spoiled by animals. There is also no way to get rid of such a flaw.
How to check the quality of a mink coat? You just need to feel it. If you get the feeling that you are touching parchment paper, then the fur is dry. Such a product will quickly crack and spread.

If at least one of the presented flaws occurs, then it is better to refuse to purchase this product.

Verification methods

There are certain secrets regarding how to check a mink coat. Today, many unscrupulous manufacturers are trying in every possible way to mask the existing flaw. They paint the burnt parts of the villi or cover them with a special varnish, which gives the product gloss and gloss.

How to check the quality of a mink coat? It is enough to use the following recommendations:

Take your palm and hold it against the growth of the pile. If the fur is of high quality, then after such a procedure it will be able to take its previous position. There will be no dents or creases of hairs. And on the hands there should not be fluff or villi.
How to distinguish good from bad? Just push the hairs of the fur and inspect the color of the fur. If the product is of high quality, then it should be light. But the brown color indicates that the villi were painted. The darkened color of the skin indicates incorrect storage of the product. The back of the skin will allow you to determine this.
The joints of the skins of a high-quality fur coat should not be noticeable during external examination. They also need to be highly accurate. And you can check this if you pull them in different directions. The joints of the skins can be seen in the shoulder and collar areas. Seams should be made with strong threads.
How to distinguish high-quality from low-quality? Take a regular needle and insert it from the wrong side. Then pull. The formed hole should not increase in diameter.
The undercoat should have a soft surface and density. If you run your hand over it, you should create a feeling of softness, but not prickly.
How to identify a mink coat? Just rub the skin with a slightly damp cloth. After such actions, various traces of painting should be absent. There are situations when manufacturers subject it to tinting. This gives it an auxiliary and beautiful overflow. But the applied coating should not only be resistant, but also not leave marks.
The top hair should be of equal length. If there are protruding villi on winter clothes, then the fur was subject to a haircut. You can't call a quality product like this.
You can understand how high-quality mink coats are by smell. It should not emit the smell of an animal or chemicals. There may be a slight smell of the cleaning compound.

Useful tips when buying a fur product, details in the video:

Lining quality

When buying outerwear made of mink fur, it is important to pay attention not only to the condition of the fur, but also to the lining. If the product is really of high quality, then you should pay attention to such points:

Made from high quality and durable material. Most often, natural silk is used.
Exactly repeats the cut of outerwear. When worn, the movement is free, and the fur itself does not bulge.
The lower part of the outerwear is loose, not attached to the fur coat. Without much difficulty, you can get to the wrong side of the skins.
Seams are qualitatively processed, differs in equal lines and durability.
On the edge there is a trim in the form of a cord.

Types of mink

A wide selection of mink allows you to sew a fur coat that will be ideal for wearing it in a certain climatic zone.

Russian

This fur has been one of the warmest for many years. It is distinguished by a high awn and underfur, so that its appearance seems a little disheveled. The price is quite affordable and the range is wide.

Scandinavian

This type of mink makes up 80% of all fur sold in the world. It is characterized by medium awn and dense underfur. How to identify mink fur? Everything is very simple: you need to examine its surface. Scandinavian fur has a chic sheen, which is why the product is popularly called the “black diamond”.

Chinese

For those who do not understand how to identify a good mink coat, it is worth remembering one rule: do not purchase Chinese-made products in the markets. High-quality mink is produced in China, but increased demand does not allow it to be exported outside the country. Only budget products of poor quality are sent abroad. In addition, Chinese manufacturers stretch the fur, as a result of which it becomes brittle, the service life decreases and, as a result, it does not warm.

North American

Determining the quality of fur is very simple. It has a low pile, but the shine is completely absent. Most often, such a product is called velvet. The peculiarity of the North American mink is that it is great for harsh Russian winters.

wild

How to check for quality? Do not think that the more expensive it is, the better. This type of fur is considered rare. It is characterized by a long pile, almost the same as that of a sable. Its color is dark grey-brown. It also has a light undercoat. Wild fur has a lot of flaws, because a large number of skins are required to get a fur coat. Therefore, the price of such products is high.

Italian and Greek

In Italy, they do not grow mink. But this does not prevent local craftsmen from creating excellent samples with original designs. At present, the quality of such fur coats pleases all fashionistas both in Russia and abroad. If you do not understand how to correctly determine the quality of a mink coat, then you should buy such clothes in stores at fur factories.

Mink fur is very much in demand today when sewing winter clothes. But due to the high competition in the market, some manufacturers resort to certain tricks. They reduce the cost of the product, as they themselves acquire a low-quality product. In order not to fall for the tricks of scammers, you need to learn how to identify high-quality fur. This is not difficult, but it will protect you from forgery and financial waste.

How to choose a quality product, details in the video:

Mink coats rank first in popularity among Russian women. This fur is distinguished by its beauty, wearability, and good thermal characteristics. But the cost of such a fur coat is not always affordable for women. Many save up for it for several years, acquiring far from one year. But some cunning sellers have learned to pass off fakes as mink. It’s a shame to get the fur coat of your dreams, which will turn out to be not at all from a mink, but, for example, from a ferret or marmot. How to distinguish high quality from fake goods and make a purchase that will last for many years?

Basic rules for buying a high quality fur product

If you are going to buy a natural fur coat, you should go to a store that has proven itself and provides the appropriate certificates and guarantees. In pursuit of savings, you should not look for options in the market ranks. There, a fake can be found most often, but then it will be difficult to find the ends.

Now we will tell you how to distinguish a high-quality mink coat.

Mink fur is elastic. Run your hand along the pile in the opposite direction. It should return to its original position. With its elasticity and rigidity, the fur does not prick.
Smooth undercoat, awn of the same length. To disguise a fake, sellers often cut the outer hair so that the length is the same. But in this case, the fur will prick.
When pinching, there should be no hair left on the hand.
Mink skin has a sheen. On an undyed pile, single white hairs are sometimes visible.
Swipe over the fur with a white napkin. It should not leave traces of paint.
The height of the pile on the entire product should be the same. There should be no bald patches, bald spots, tubercles.
Good manufacturers do not hem the lining, making it possible to inspect the quality of the mezdra. It should be light or creamy, elastic.
When shaking, the fur coat should not “rattle”.
Check for seals on each skin. She confirms that this is a mink and indicates the size of the piece (not less than 15 * 15 cm).
Look closely at the seams. They should be thin, rolled and even. Skin is sometimes sewn between fragments of skins. The fewer such areas, the more expensive the product. Noticing the glue, it is better to refuse the purchase. The technology in which the skins are glued, not stitched, will not allow the product to last for a long time.

Manufacturer country

Mink fur coats, depending on the country in which they are produced, have several types. One of the most expensive are Canadian and Scandinavian mink. They are distinguished by abundant fluff and a very dense pile of medium length. The Ukrainian mink is slightly inferior to them. Its underfur is not so thick, and the awn is longer.

Greek fur coats are very popular among Russian women. There is also an opinion that in Greece the cost of fur coats is lower. Some even go on special tours for furs. But in any country there are manufacturers of both high level and not quite conscientious. A quality mink fur product will not be cheap. Therefore, it is better not to risk making expensive purchases in resort areas.

Russian and Chinese mink coats are much cheaper. At present, some Chinese manufacturers have also learned how to make good quality fur products. But there are plenty of fakes among them. Therefore, it would be a shame to buy a Chinese fur coat at the price of a Canadian or Greek one. Here are a few signs by which you can distinguish a Chinese fur coat from a European one:

Ost. Pronounced and very high. Outwardly, it looks prickly. She seems to be lying on a pillow. But sometimes the awn does not differ in height. In this case, the skin can be passed off as Scandinavian.
Shine. Chinese skins do not have a smooth ebb, they seem to shine in patches. They can be recognized by their characteristic glassy luster. If we compare the Chinese and Scandinavian fur coats, then even a non-specialist will immediately notice the difference. Scandinavian furs are distinguished by a beautiful diamond sheen that seems to shimmer in the sun.
Undercoat. Depends on the length of the awn. With a long awn, the undercoat is not thick. Sometimes a mink with a short awn and a long black undercoat is passed off as a black mink. But in natural black mink, the mezra is light, which, after staining, acquires a dark or gray tint.

By these indicators, you can understand where the animal is grown. The place where the fur coat was made is determined by the tailoring technology. In most cases, Greek and Italian fur coats are made from Finnish and Scandinavian skins. The Russian mink differs from the Chinese in a thick and long pile, while the Scandinavian mink has a thick but short pile.

Sometimes the Chinese use Greek furs for sewing. In this case, the quality should be determined by the tailoring technology.

Mink fakes

The first sign to pay attention to is weight. A mink coat is much lighter than any other fur coat. Often, under an expensive skin, the manufacturer skillfully disguises a rabbit, marmot, beaver or ferret. Therefore, you need to know how to distinguish a real mink coat from a fake.

Rabbit. Unlike mink, the rabbit has a very soft pile and has a non-uniform shade. Mink skin shines evenly. Rabbits have different hair colors. The undercoat of the rabbit leaves hair in the hand when plucked.
Marmot. Groundhog is often passed off as a mink. Their difference is that the groundhog has prickly fur, hairs of different lengths. Groundhog pile is also elastic, but it does not have plasticity; when stroking, it can become shaggy. Mink fur, unlike marmot, does not give a bluish tint in the sun.
Beaver. The fur of a beaver and a marmot can be confused with each other in terms of stiffness. But both of them are much tougher than mink. Beaver skins are larger than those of mink. The beaver skin is twice as thick as the mink.
Ferret. In a ferret, compared to a mink, the awn is higher, and the underfur is rare. It has a peculiar color: the underfur is light, and the awn is dark at the ends. On the sides, light areas are translucent, and on the back, a dark-colored awn completely covers the underfur. By the way, ferret skins are valued not much less than mink. They are less wearable, but warmer. Products “in dissolution” are not sewn from ferret skins, because seams will be visible through the fur due to a rare fluff. Therefore, models from this fur are mostly straight cut.
Honoric. This beast is obtained by crossing a mink and a ferret. It is quite difficult to distinguish this fur from a real mink. It is given out by black color, shine and thick brown undercoat.

Going to buy a fur coat, do not rush into the choice. To find the right model, you may have to visit more than one specialty store and try on several options. Do not be shy to be meticulous in your questions and doubts. Don't hesitate to consult sellers. Try to be attentive to the little things. Vigilance will help you make a bargain that you won't regret.

The article will be useful to all those who would like to receive practical advice on choosing fur in general and on choosing mink fur in particular.

How to distinguish a real mink from a fake, good fur from bad: instructions, tips, tricks, videos

The physical characteristics of high-quality mink fur and methods for their verification are presented in the table.

Characteristic	Check method
The coat of quality mink fur should be clean, loose and well combed. The hairs of the fur are even, of the same length, without curved tips. Guard hair and downs in one color.	Take a good look at the fur surface. You should see a uniform hairline that has a nice glossy sheen.
In the case of additional dyeing of the fur, the hairline must be evenly dyed.	Run your hand over the fur along the hairline. The hand must be clean. Remember: the dark mezdra (leather fabric) gives out the painted mink!
The hair is firmly attached to the mezdra (leather tissue). Fluidity (rash of guard hairs) is absent.	Shake the fur lightly. If you observe profuse hair loss, this indicates a poor quality of the fur.
The hair does not break.	Run your palm against the hairline and watch the fur: the hairs should return to their original state.
The down is thick.	Blow on the fur and look at the downs. In high-quality thick fur, the mezra does not look through the downs.
Leather fabric is soft to the touch, plastic. When crushed, it does not make rustling sounds. High-quality mezdra does not spread around the seams.	Be sure to crush the fur with your palm. High-quality skins do not rustle and quickly return to their original state. High-quality mezdra should not resemble suede! Be sure to check the seams by unscrewing the lining of the product.
The fur should be without sharp and unpleasant odors.	Be sure to smell the fur! Ideally, it should have a faint, characteristic fur odor. But not chemistry, musk or junk!
After contact with fur, there should not be a feeling of unpleasant greasy feeling on the hands!
Be sure to check the inside of the lining! An honest manufacturer always leaves an unfinished lining so that the buyer can be sure of the quality and naturalness of the product. The rule of good form is the presence on each individual skin of a seal confirming the naturalness of the fur. Be careful: sometimes the bottom of the product is sewn from high-quality material, and low-grade skins are used “under the collar” (or in other hard-to-reach places).

Most often understudy mink are:

rabbit,
marmot,
nutria,
speakers,
honorik,
artificial fur.

The main characteristics of each of the duplicate materials and how to identify a fake are presented in the tables.

Rabbit.	Mink.
The outer hair is very soft. The down is less dense.	The outer hair is quite hard.
Rabbit fur, unlike mink fur, gets wet.
Marmot.	Mink.
Guard hair of different lengths. When stroking against the hairline, the fur becomes shaggy and does not return to its original appearance. The fur has a bluish tint.	The hairs of the fur are even, of the same length, without curved tips. When stroked against the hairline, the fur quickly returns to its original appearance.
Plucked nutria.	Plucked mink.
Rectangular skin (rectangle aspect ratio 1x1.5).	Rectangular skin (aspect ratio 1x2.5 ... 3).
The mezdra (skin tissue) is coarser than that of the mink.
The length of the fur is about 10 mm.	Fur length 5 mm.
Speakers.	Mink.
The fur is devoid of evenness and density.	The hairs of the fur are even, of the same length, without curved tips.
Honoric.	Mink.
The guard hair and downs differ in color: the hair is darker with a lighter down. It has a large, compared to mink, fur plate.	Guard hair and downs in one color.
Artificial fur.	Mink.
Faux fur gives out the base (or ground) on which the hairs are attached. Be sure to look under the lining of the product. If the lining is sewn up and the seller refuses to rip it off, take a sewing needle and pierce the fur. An ordinary sewing needle will easily pierce the fabric base of faux fur. Remove a few fur hairs and burn them. Artificial hairs will melt. Natural hair flares easily and smells like burnt hair or feathers.

How to distinguish an artificial mink from a natural one: instructions, tips, recommendations

Be sure to pay attention to the tips in the previous part of the article.

In addition, pay attention to the following important points:

For artificial materials, a matte (not bright) sheen is characteristic.

Faux fur products are heavier.
Always carefully study the certificate, which is mandatory attached to a product made of natural fur. The absence of a certificate is a reason to doubt the quality of the goods.

How to distinguish a dyed mink from an unpainted one: methods, description

First of all, carefully inspect the mezdra (leather fabric).

In fur that has undergone the dyeing procedure, the mezra has a dark color. Colors: from black to grey.
In fur that has undergone a toning procedure, the mezra can vary from gray to a natural light beige tone.
The core of undyed fur is light beige or beige (regardless of the color of the fur).

Pay attention to the color of the fur.

Most often, fur is dyed black. Be careful: natural black mink fur has a brownish-gray tint. This is especially noticeable in natural light.
The color of the dyed fur in any light is a deep anthracite, without a natural transition in color intensity, without shades between the outer hair and the undercoat.

Important: modern technology allows you to dye the fur with subsequent clarification of the mezra. The lightening process significantly degrades the quality of the fur! Unfortunately, the average buyer will not be able to distinguish such fur from the real one. The only way out: to get acquainted with the certificate for the product.

How to distinguish old mink fur from new?

Start your inspection with the mezdra. The color of the old leather fabric is yellow.
In addition, smell the flesh: the old leather tissue will have a specific rancid smell, reminiscent of the smell of rancid fat.
Sometimes a sign of an old fur may be the parchment of the core (it ceases to "hold" the seams).
It may also contain fatty areas.
Fur, especially white and blue/gray tones, develops a yellow tint. As a rule, 1 year is enough to change the color of the fur (with improper care) and from 3 to 5 years (with proper care and initially good quality).

How to distinguish stretched mink skins from whole ones?

Almost all mink skins are stretchable.

In a skin that is too stretched, hair follicles are well felt on the inside of the mezra. Focus on tactile sensations: because of the hair follicles, the stretched mezra becomes rough and looks like a grater. At the same time, the adhesion of the bulb and the mezra is significantly reduced, which leads to an increase in the fluidity of the hairs.

In addition, the weight of the product is reduced with equal other characteristics.

The outer hair and downs of a too stretched skin lose their density. When stroking the fur against the growth line of the guard hairs, the mezra is visible.

Mink coat: how to distinguish male fur from female fur

Important: as a rule, the product is sewn either from the skins of a male or from the skins of a female! Mixing skins is not allowed!

The table shows the main distinguishing features of mink fur, taking into account the sex of the animal

Chinese mink: how to distinguish from another type of mink?

Chinese mink enters the Russian market in the form of finished products, not raw materials or semi-finished products. The cost of finished fur products from China is relatively low. This is where the positives probably end.

Please note: low-grade fur is entering the Russian market, since China has a huge domestic market. All high quality fur stays inland.

Chinese fur farms are actively working to improve the situation by carrying out selective work, improving the food supply, etc. However, the quality of mink fur directly depends on the climate in which the animal lives, and on the specialists who breed it. At this stage of development, the Chinese are only learning from their mistakes.

As a result, boutiques and markets in Russia are overflowing with fur products:

from the southern Chinese mink with a coarse lying awn and a weak undercoat,
from the fur of culling animals of good herds (such fur is often passed off as Blackglama fur);
from dyed fur of poor quality.

From all of the above, the only correct conclusion follows: buy mink products either directly in the domestic market of China, carefully probing all the seams, pulling the hairs, checking and smelling the mink. Or don't buy at all.

A fur coat is a Scandinavian mink: how to distinguish it from a fake, Canadian, Russian and Chinese mink?

mink type	Characteristic
Scandinavian	Guard hair: even, medium height.
	Down: thick.
	Depending on the selection, the following markings are accepted: Finnish - SAGA FURS®. Feature - high awn and underfur. Danish - KOPENHAGEN FURS®. Feature - low awn and underfur. Important: marking is rarely used yet!
Canadian/North American	Guard hair: quite short, thin and delicate.
	Down: very thick.
	Feature of the fur: the presence of the effect of velvet.
Russian / Russian	Guard hair: high.
	Down: high dense.
	Feature: very warm fur, but because of the high awn and down, it seems somewhat shaggy.
Chinese / raised in China	Important: Since the fur farming segment of the market has just begun to develop, it is too early to talk about such a type of mink as the Chinese one.
	Guard hair: coarse lying.
	Down: Rare.

How to distinguish natural fur from a fake is described in the previous part of the article.

Unfortunately, it is difficult for the average buyer to determine the type of mink and the characteristics of its fur. Therefore, be sure to ask the seller for a certificate of conformity for the product.