Dispel doubts. Is it really Black Nafa fur? What to look for when buying

At a certain age, every girl needs a fur coat. Even if you live in Sochi or Los Angeles. Still needed. "To be." And in general, a fur coat is a commandment, well, sort of like for men about "plant a tree, build a house, give birth to a son." Ha ha, let them give birth! .. Ah, yes, I'm talking about something else ...

FUR COATS are divided into mink and non-mink coats. The division is very subtle and creative. Let's say sable is definitely mink. Not literally, but figuratively. Beautiful, expensive, rich. But astrakhan, goat, rabbit, fox, arctic fox, raccoon, lynx or wolf - definitely non-mink. No, I'm not a discriminator, of course, everyone chooses a fur coat according to their pocket. The essence of a non-mink coat is that it is quickly wiped off and comes into a non-marketable appearance (with the exception of astrakhan fur, and that is because it is simply rough in itself). Well... not so awesome! And we are not rich enough to spend money on cheap things.

selfish question

The quality of the mink differs in color, "thickness" and the method of tailoring.

The most popular destinations from which fur coats come to us are Greece, China and Italy. Well, with China, everything is clear. In Greece, thousands of them are labled in the town of Kastoria (and then partially transported to the same Italy. Do not be surprised if a knowledgeable friend finds a Greek label on your purely Italian fur coat, for example Saga mink or Avanti), but the skins are bought where it should be - at auctions in America and Canada. So do not be complex in front of snobs: and a Greek fur coat - it sounds proud!

Many argue whose skins are better - Canadian or US? Don't fool yourself - both are good. You can also ask when the mink became the raw material for your winter tippet - in winter (then the fur is especially thick and fluffy) or in summer (then the animals shed). But you can do this only if the fur seems liquid to you and generally “not like that”. Formulate it unobtrusively: "Why is there so little fur, summer, or something, mink?"

Liquid fur can also be from the fact that it is of poor quality, or rather, greedily dressed. When furriers stretch the skin on a special stand, treating it with a special solution, its skin is plastic, something like a stretch effect. But only the skin stretches! The number of hairs on it is not added. In addition, it becomes thinner, and therefore more fragile. A fur coat made of well-dressed skins is "thick", the fur is thick and shiny, without "creases" (this may indicate a defect in both the fur and the tailor). The seams are stitched thinly, neatly and almost not palpable.

If the seller is calm about the fur coat, he will let you mock it: pull the skin, pull, see how the seams and pile behave. If you run your hand "against the wool", if the fur quickly falls into place, and the skin is soft to the touch - everything is in order.

You can also shake the fur coat and see how the villi fall off. If the process is clearly not intensive (after the drying procedures, any fresh fur coat will “fly”), then everything is OK. By the way, conscientious sellers even throw fur coats on the floor and sometimes trample on them. But it already smacks a little of light psychiatry ...

Taste and color

As we said, color matters. Each, like paint for a Zhiguli, has its own name, almost not associated with the color itself. Therefore, we will explain ourselves on the fingers and call a spade a spade.

The cheapest mink is walnut, meaning light brown, followed by dark brown. Then - a variety of red, from juicy golden honey to light amber. Even more expensive is black mink, beige, gray and blue (also gray, but with a grayish-blue tint, out of fashion a year or two ago, and therefore slightly cheaper). In the next price category - 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 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, craftsmen-furriers (or who does it with them?) Learned to dye cheaper fur so deftly that you can’t tell at first glance: it sparkles and shimmers, it hurts your eyes. Method one: spread the undercoat with your fingers (it should be purely black) and check the skin color. If the skin has not been subjected to hairdressing procedures, it should remain white.

Now about "unnatural blondes". Since progress does not stand still, methods of high-quality dyeing of skins arrive every year. However, there are two theories here. First: they dye (that is, give a shade) only expensive white fur, so all dyed fur coats are among the most expensive. Second: any fur is dyed in order to hide its defects, which means that it should cost less. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. The new colors are able to "take" not only very light, but also rather dark fur (see the passage on progress). Therefore, walnut mink is most often dyed - the cheapest and able to "grab" even a light shade. And her skin remains pristine white (remember our, human hair dyes - after all, the scalp does not at all become "bright copper" after your "Vella" or "L" Oreal "). Here the eagle eye becomes an assistant to us: if you carefully look closely at the color, the brownish note will still be noticeable.Although it is white mink that is most often dyed in pink and blue.All shades of red, green, yellow-green, purple and blue fit perfectly on the "nut". And this season, dyed fur in special favour.

Pinch her!

There are three types of mink fur - normal, plucked and sheared.

In a plucked mink, long and stiffer hairs are torn out (with the help of a special device, I hope, and not a banal epilator), leaving the undercoat intact. From this, the fur coat becomes very "plush", but, they say, wipes off faster. Therefore, usually a plucked mink is supplemented with a collar made of "normal" fur, often of a contrasting color (by the way, a popular addition to the "black diamond" is the collar and cuffs of delicate gray-white chinchilla fur. A chinchilla-dyed rabbit or even a silver fox or arctic fox (often tinted).

They can cut a mink "under plucked", that is, cutting off only the upper long hair, or in short, almost "under zero". This can also look quite impressive, but, most likely, you need to draw a disappointing conclusion - the fur was defective. In addition, it will be sluggish to warm the fur "with a short haircut". It makes sense to buy sheared and dyed mink sewn from pieces. It is unlikely that it will last long, but it is cheap and cheerful (in Greece, you can tear off a short jacket for $250-300). And remember: there are no chinchilla collars on a sheared mink, just as there are no sapphires set in silver. An expensive stone and a frame need an appropriate one!

What is inside?

The price of your fur coat depends not only on the color and quality of the fur as such, but also on the size of the skins. It depends on how they are fitted, how the fur looks on the fur coat as a whole: whether it flows, “hunches” on the folds. Whatever the seller tells you, he (if there is no catch) is obliged, at your request, to tear off the hem of the lining and let the potential buyer look at the fur coat from the inside. If the price of a coat or jacket is above 1.5 thousand USD. i.e., but they don’t let you look under the lining, it’s rubbish.

On the inside of the coat, you check the seams, dressing of the skin and the dimensions of the plates. Skillful tailors can stick pieces of mink on a fabric base so famously that you won’t suspect anything! No, give us "whole" skins - at least 15 by 15 cm. If the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe "cut" is smaller - this is a "half-plate", the cost of such a fur coat is 20-30% cheaper. And it’s really bad if you see the sight of small pieces - no, you can wear such a fur coat, of course, it will also be warm, cozy and loved, but - alas - short-lived. It will serve qualitatively for 2-3 years, and then it will pretty much lose its gloss, and the pieces will spread.

But there is another trick - computer selection (this is the prerogative of Italian manufacturers). That is, the fur coat is stitched from small pieces "along the oblique", but they are fitted one to one so that the outside is a real feast for the eyes. The fur flows like a waterfall, and even shines more than usual. Due to the expensive technology, such fur coats cost the same as whole ones. But as you wear the edges between the pieces become more and more noticeable, the fur coat seems to “decompose” into many parts with each of your movements.

Previously, the plates were adjusted to each other only vertically. But the squeak of this season is "horizontal" fur coats. The effect is really impressive. The price is even more so.

Well, now you, armed with our instructions, can safely go to the fur salon, the market or a shopping tour. Remember one thing: in the fur coat business there is an unspoken rule: "the seller is always right." This means that BEFORE you hand over "your hard earned husband" money, you must be 100% sure that the fur coat is in order. Examine, smell and feel it from all sides. After the transaction, you will never be able to prove to the seller that "there were holes here," and this bald spot appeared before you rubbed the wool with your finger.

And one more myth: that a man should definitely buy a fur coat for a woman. The pleasure of the stole, acquired in exchange for their sleepless nights over the quarterly report and overtime instead of revelry on International Women's Day, is inexpressible. And for sure you will be much more careful wearing such a fur coat ...

A real high-quality fur coat is a woman's pride. A real fur coat is evidence of its viability, both female and material. Finally, a real fur coat will never let you 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 natural fur? Remember! Our collection of important recommendations will help you:

Council number 1. What to pay attention to first of all?

It is best to start the selection by touch. Touch the fur, remember it with your hands. If it is pleasant and soft, dry and uniform, this is what you need!

To be convinced of the strength of the future shower jacket and its durability (after all, a fur coat is not bought for one season!), Pull the hairs. 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 in the dead of winter in a bald fur coat!

Check the core - this is the reverse side of the skins. To do this, you have to look under the lining. The unpainted mezdra is white, and the yellowish tint indicates that the fur is old. In addition, good "fresh" fur glistens and shimmers in the light, unlike dull, low-quality fur.

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

A good 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 the same 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 a hope that the color of the fur coat will not change.

Council number 2. Where to buy a fur coat?

The answer is simple and absolutely unambiguous - in a specialized store or a reputable fur salon, which has been operating for more than a year. 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 in the market, no one will exchange it for you. And the money will not return!

Council number 3. Which model to 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 of beaver, male mink, fox or arctic fox. For ladies who are constantly driving, a short fur coat will be a good option - it does not interfere with driving a car. A fur jacket made from short-haired mink or otter fur is also suitable.

Council number 4. Should I buy a dyed fur coat?

It happens that a fur coat is dyed for only one purpose - to disguise manufacturing defects. In such cases, a dark color is usually used. Of course, you should not buy such a fur coat.

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

Do not forget that fur coats of bright colors are in fashion now, which can only be achieved with the help of dyeing.

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

Council number 5. Secrets of merchants: how to expose a rabbit?

It is unpleasant to realize that you bought a fake. At the same time, fur can be natural, but not at all the one you expected, and most importantly, cheaper.
For example, a rabbit often has to "play" the role of a mink or a chinchilla. It is not difficult to expose him at the same time, you just need to know a couple of secrets.

The real mink has harsh fur, while the rabbit has very soft fur.

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

Instead of a mink, you can slip a groundhog. Cheap Ukrainian mink is often given by the seller as a more expensive Canadian mink. Signs by which you recognize a fake:

The fur of the marmot is slightly prickly, its hairs are of different lengths - in contrast to the mink.

The Canadian mink is very fluffy, and in the skins of its Ukrainian "sister" there is rather meager down.

In order not to buy a relatively inexpensive fox fur coat instead of a silver fox, just count the number of colors in the wool. Each silver fox hair starts at the base in gray, which turns into white, ending in black. Fox - bicolor.

A raccoon and a raccoon dog are, in general, relatives, but this is not enough to pay the same money for them. The raccoon is noticeably more expensive, because its fur is warmer due to the comparative stiffness of the awn and undercoat. The fur of a raccoon dog is softer, but retains heat worse.

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

Council number 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 something from the buyer. In a company store, it’s not a sin to ask the seller to slightly tear off the lining - this is the only way you can be sure of the quality of the seams.

A fur coat without a mezdra (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 mezdra, no matter how you shake it, will not creak or crunch. The maximum that she can publish is a quiet, delicate rustle.

Do not be satisfied with viewing the quality certificate - check its data with the information indicated on the label - the country of origin and the type of fur.

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

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

I paid almost 2000 for it? more

Those. about 280 thousand? It's expensive for this quality of tailoring. Understandable, but not reasonable.

how long will it last and how warm will it be, otherwise I am very cold?

Of the predicted problems, there is nothing exotic: the resistance of tinting to fading (on blue-black it will be very noticeable0) and dry cleaning. If you are not careful with a fur coat, you can tear a very high-quality product. it's not as critical as it seems.
Avoid moisturizing, but this is also universal advice.
the thermal protection of a fur coat is 80 percent dependent on the style, and only with absolutely identical styles, you will feel the difference in the density of the fur.

When choosing a fur coat, which manufacturers should you pay attention to in the first place?

on stamps with a transparently adequate history. With such firms, quality can be predicted with a very high degree of probability.

In your opinion, is it possible to buy a decent, and not a Chinese fur coat in the "Snow Queen"? It's just that my friend bought herself a fur coat in China, already with the label of the snow queen ...

Very theoretical. Even brands of a very decent level are under pressure on prices, therefore, for the sake of sales, they are forced to reduce costs due to loss of quality.
Stable quality in the UK is in the top level of brands that are not interested in mass sales, that keep selling prices and, accordingly, are bought a little to decorate the collection. This is no longer a business, but a decoration. Therefore, it is very profitable to buy such products at the end of the season, since the years of the collection are very obvious, you cannot leave such things for several years. The last time we saw this was with Anabella, but we are not sure if this tradition is still alive.
Extras of decent brands such as Ciolini, Braschi, tenderly by us any Tsoukas bros. in the SC loses in quality very significantly.

Should I pay attention to products on which labels, such as blackglama, black nafa, black velvet or with the name of the manufacturer, are sewn by hand?
As pictured in the link

Label sewing technology is not regulated. The only practical problem with such sewing is that it is impossible to look at the inside of the label, which, in some cases, is one of the factors of their authenticity.
To manipulate, they must be clearly understood. To at least understand whether they are original or fake.
In the photo at the link Black Velvet - has nothing to do with any auction, this is the initiative of the manufacturer.

The label of raw materials as a guarantee of quality does not give very much, but is a necessary condition confirming that this company works with goods of this class. If there is a deliberately fake label on a thing, this immediately alarms at the expense of the rest of the manufacturer's statements and raises doubts about the professionalism and honesty of the seller.

If a fur coat with the old Blackglama label (without a hologram) hangs in the store, what does it mean that it has been hanging in the store for at least 5 years (provided that it is the original)? What will be the wear time in this case?

When the auction changed labels, all manufacturers and sellers could change all their stock of labels in warehouses and sewn on finished products to the new design, there were no technical problems with this. The main thing was to show the old authentic label. If a product hangs with a genuine old label, it is either laziness, or thoughtlessness, or lack of awareness, or some kind of dark history of the product.
The natural aging of the fur is twenty years, the operational goes much faster. Therefore, there are no big problems with the practical characteristics of the old product. True, usually, such things have signs of fading, but this is noticeable upon close inspection.

Are strokes with a ballpoint pen allowed on the inside of branded fur coats?

When sewing, there are always some marks of furriers, compositors, quality department. It’s a good tone that if the visibility of the mezra is supposed (on light products with a transparent lining, with detachable linings), so that everything inside is beautiful, this indicates the correct technological process in production.

Do you have a photo of how an ideal mink coat should look like (high-quality, beautiful, fashionable and warm), including from the inside

There are no perfect fur coats at any level of the brand. You can always find some drawback, fur is a natural material, not unified, and the design in most cases reduces the traditional requirements for a fur thing.
It is more correct to speak about an adequate ratio of price, quality and necessary subjective consumer characteristics.

If we talk about this product, the main problem here is that the level of tailoring did not correspond to the level of raw materials. Let's just say, if everything was the same from a Chinese low-axle
mink, the appearance would be the same, but the price is fundamentally different.
Expensive raw materials (North American mink) were taken, which ensured a high cost, but as a result, the thing turned out to be inadequate in price and not rich in appearance.
For the transverse, a low-awned mink was taken, which does not have a difference between the height of the hair on the side and the ridge and is lost in the transverse. Those. initially, the one who made the decision to launch) proceeded from the idea that the product should be exclusive, but did not have a professional level to appreciate the whole picture.
In order to somehow emphasize the stripes, elite raw materials are embroidered with sheared mink, with a completely different value, moreover, it is embroidered widely and with the substitution of some pieces. It's like a cook adding a rotten carrot to a tenderloin dish.
A model with a claim to design, but carelessly assembled from different types of skins. This is either the general level of technology in production, or a random jamb that OTK missed (if any). From the point of view of the consumer, the reason is not very important, the result is the same.
If you start to delve into the technology, when a product with a clear geometry is edited, all straight lines should be fixed with brackets on the edit. From the inside you can see that all the seams "walk". This is either the lack of editing, or the result of shrinkage after dry cleaning. Both are signs of not a high level of workmanship.

Mink coats are distinguished by their beauty, wearability and good thermal characteristics. In terms of popularity, they take first place among our women. But the cost of mink fur coats is not small, so the purchase must be taken seriously. The question arises, how to choose a mink coat, what are the nuances.

Most of the fur coats that are brought from Asia and the East to our stores are counterfeits made from nutria, rabbit or marmot. Even if you are lucky to get it from a real mink, this is also not a guarantee of quality, it is not a fact that it will last a long time.

How to choose the right mink coat and not lose money, professional advice.

Buy a mink coat only in a well-established store that provides the appropriate certificates and guarantees.

How to distinguish a quality mink coat

The fur of sheared nutria is very similar to mink. But it costs half as much, which is why it is the nutria that is passed off as an expensive mink. A fake can be distinguished by touch. If you run your hand over the fur, sheared nutria pricks.

Mink fur is elastic. If you run your hand along the pile in the opposite direction, then it returns to its original position. And with its elasticity and rigidity, it does not prick.

The groundhog has spiky fur, hairs of different lengths. Groundhog pile is also elastic, but it does not have plasticity; when stroking, it can become shaggy.

A shorn rabbit is more difficult to distinguish by touch.

The mink has a more noble color, the fur is denser. If you try to push the pile and look at the leather fabric, then it will not be as easy as with a sheared rabbit. In a rabbit, the pile is more “crumbly”, very soft, and leather is easily visible. The mink has an even undercoat, and the outer hair is of the same length. Undyed skins sometimes have single gray hairs.

We check the fur coat, it is dyed or natural

After you have made sure that it is mink fur in front of you, pay attention to the color of the fur coat. It can be natural or dyed. Dyed mink is much cheaper than natural mink. If all dyeing technologies are observed, then it repels moisture even better and becomes more wear-resistant.

But sometimes the manufacturer is cunning, and tries to pass off the dyed fur as natural. Most often, the rare deep natural color of black mink is faked. Experts call this fur an auction fur, because such skins can only be bought at one of the expensive auctions at very high prices.

When labels from expensive auctions are attached to a dyed fur coat and they are passed off as auction fur, this is a violation of the law and these people should be held accountable.

Dyed mink or not, it's quite easy to tell the difference, part the fur and look at the color of the skin, it should be a light skin color. If the product is dyed, then the leather will also be dyed.

If you decide to buy a dyed mink, you need to check the quality of the coloring. This can be done with an ordinary wet wipe, if the coloring is of poor quality, the fur coat can peel off in the first rain. Run a napkin over the hair, if the dyeing is of high quality, then there should be no traces on the napkin.

And so, we made sure that our fur coat was made of real mink, we learned to determine whether it was dyed or not, and how well the paint held.

How long a fur coat will last depends on the quality of the pile and the lining

Now it's time to take a closer look at the fur itself, how long the fur coat will last depends on the length of the pile, the shorter it is, the better.

Depending on the breed, the mink comes with a long pile and a short one. This difference is clearly visible. In the long-haired mink, the outer hair is much longer and stiffer than the underfur, the fur looks a little shaggy. In the short-haired mink, the outer hair is not much longer or even at the same level as the underfur, the fur looks plush and even.

If the pile is long, then most likely the mink is Russian or Chinese.

The Scandinavian and North American mink is short-haired. The long-haired mink does not have as dense underfur as the Scandinavian or North American mink.

Even good mink skins have bald spots. In the production of fur coats, a chin of skins is made. Bald spots are cut out in a certain way, and sewn up with a furrier's seam. After straightening, the seam is not noticeable from the hair side, and a small flat seam from the leather side.

A conscientious manufacturer allows you to see a leather coat, it can be a hidden zipper in the side seam of the lining, or the lining itself is detachable (not hemmed along the bottom of the product).

Look at the leather fabric of the fur coat, if there are no extra seams on the skins or there are very few of them, then the skins are of high quality. If there are many small seams and they are not structural, then the skins are of poor quality. Mezdra should be elastic, light or creamy. The fur coat should not "rattle" when shaken.

Fashion and modern technologies for tailoring fur coats

Mink coats were once worn for decades, now only for a few years. This is due to fashion and changing tailoring technologies.

Looking under the lining of a fur coat from the inside, we can examine the quality of the seams.

The skins are sewn together with a special furry seam, its peculiarity is that there should not be skipped stitches, otherwise the seam may unravel. The quality of the seams must also be checked on the front side of the fur coat. It is necessary to blow on the fur in the place where the seam is, the threads should not be visible and the pile should not fall apart on the seam.

On the inside you can see a special duplicate material, it is needed so that the fur coat does not stretch out. The seams connecting the sleeves with the armhole and the collar or hood with the neck of the camp and shoulder seams are also duplicated. This protects them from stretching and deformation of the fur coat.

Strengthen other most vulnerable places of the product, such as sides. All boards must be duplicated with a board, then the board will be even, without distortions.

The fur coat has undercuts that improve the fit of the product. All of them must also be duplicated so that they are not stretched in any way.

In order to reduce the cost of production, all kinds of adhesive tapes are used, and duplicating material is not installed at all. The adhesive tape will fall off after the first dry cleaning. Today, the standards for the production of fur products are not mandatory, but it is with this technology that all the highest quality and durable fur coats are sewn.

In matters of fur products, especially from mink skins, fashion and durability are contradictory concepts. For durability, it would be good to strengthen the fur, hem a duplicate fabric from the inside. Such a fur coat will last for 10 years, but it cannot look fashionable, because the fur will not, effectively “flow” like silk.

How to choose the best option?

In fact, the fur "flows" like silk only on such a fur coat, in which you can only walk along the catwalk. Designers lighten the seams and do not put a duplicate lining, in general, such a product is not intended for durable use. However, buying a strong fur coat for many years or changing it every couple of years is up to you.

How much you pay for it depends not only on the quality of the fur and tailoring, but also on the style.

How does the color of natural mink affect the cost of a fur coat

In addition to the style, the color of the fur greatly affects the cost, the price may differ significantly.

If a fur coat is made from a rare mutational mink, for example, a “pearl” of a special cold shade, then for the rarity of the color, this mink coat will cost quite a lot. The same model made of brown mink can cost 2-2.5 times cheaper.

The most expensive mink is Blackglama and BlackNAFA, this mink is also called the “black diamond”. The cheapest mink color is hazel or light brown.

If you do not look under the lining, with the naked eye, the difference between a cheap fur coat and an expensive one is difficult to detect without a specialist.

The question arises, why spend twice as much?

An expensive fur coat will last longer, a cheap one will last five years, and an expensive one will last about ten years.

Briefly about the main

• For the production of one fur coat, about 20-25 male mink skins or about 1.5 times more female mink skins are needed.
• Skins for one fur coat should be the same in color and texture.
• Nutria fur is more prickly than mink fur. And rabbit fur is much softer.
• If you hold your hand against the growth of wool, the mink fur quickly assumes its previous position.
• Dyeing fur in compliance with the technology does not impair its quality.
• The fur should be soft and shiny, without bald spots.
• A plucked mink coat is less warm and suitable for the off-season.
• A good manufacturer leaves the opportunity to look under the lining of a fur coat.
• The inside of the skin should be almost white. If it is yellow, then the fur is old.
• On the front side of the fur coat, no threads or partings should be visible at the place of the seams.
• The duplicating material makes the fur coat heavier, but increases its service life.
• Fur can lose its luster from exposure to perfumes and cosmetics.
• A mink coat cannot be stored folded. Keep it in a special case.
• Too dry air and sunlight can cause the fur to dry out.
• If you rarely wear a fur coat, the fur should be aired once a month.
• A fur coat, especially a white one, should not come into contact with other things in the closet.
• If the white mink fur has turned yellow, it is impossible to restore its color.

No need to wait for winter when prices jump, decide now. Greece with its fur markets is simply relaxing: in the suburbs of Pyatigorsk, in the village of Khoroshevsky, there is the largest fur market in Russia with a thousand trading places. There are also shops at workshops, boutiques, and exhibitions-fairs from manufacturers, of which there are more than 200.

It all started with the fact that until the mid-90s a large fur factory worked in Pyatigorsk. Five hundred people worked here. After the crisis of 1998, many left the enterprise and began to cut according to their own patterns. Fur coat makers have managed to establish their own production, and now a third of Russian fur coat tailoring is concentrated here. Everyone in Khoroshevsky knows about fur coats and they told us something.

OUR FOX IS BETTER THAN THE CHINESE

The fur coat market in Pyatigorsk has more than 1,000 outlets. Sellers lure buyers with mummies of animals, from the skins of which the goods are made, and signs with huge discounts. As soon as you look at the fur coat, they immediately take it off and throw it on your shoulders, praising the goods in every way.

It goes very well, just like it was sewn for you, - the seller Vadim showers me with untrustworthy compliments.

I turn in front of the mirror. The fur coat sits on me like on a barrel: the sides are bristling, while the shoulders look grenadier-wide.

Horror, - I say, - but show me these.

The seller hastily takes off my fur coat and puts two fur vests on the table - for 8 and 12 thousand rubles.

It's a fox, he says. - Russian is more expensive, and Chinese is cheaper. To the touch, one fur is elastic, while the other is loose. It's all about dressing. We have it better than the Chinese. We do not save on skins, and the Chinese stretch them three times. It's easy to check: look at the fault, the "Chinese" will have rare downs.

I move on to the next “boutique”, already looking at something more solid.

Where are you from, girl? - attacks the seller. - If Peter, Chelyabinsk, then nutria is better. It is waterproof and warm. I do not advise mink and arctic fox if you drive a car. They are capricious, for a couple of seasons, it is not recommended to even wear a handbag on your shoulder - there will be an imprint.

"DO YOU WANT TO REPELL THE LINING?"

After the tenth boutique, fur coats begin to ripple in the eyes, and I want to measure less and less. Yes, and there is a catch in the excessive complimentaryness of sellers. Maybe they are trying to present cheaper fur as elite, but by eye - go and take it apart. But this is where technology comes to the rescue. Starting this year, all legal fur coats in Russia must be marked with a QR code so that the buyer knows exactly what is in front of him - a Mexican jerboa, a Shanghai leopard or an ordinary Tula hare. They read the code using the “Check Goods” application, which can be downloaded to your phone from Googleplay or Applestore.

This is an Australian muton - a sheepskin of a special dressing - the seller Arthur presents me with another fur coat. - Sewn at our Pyatigorsk factory.

Now let's see what kind of muton it is, - I say, I take out my phone and bring it to the QR code with the camera. The “passport” of the fur coat pops up on the screen. Reading: Item is on sale. Country: Australia. Fur dyed: no. Producer: Pyatigorsk fur factory.

The seller is studying these fur coats with interest because of my shoulder. Didn't cheat. - Buyers still rarely check in this way, more often they believe it at their word. In general, because of these brands, fur coats have risen in price by 20 percent, - Arthur complains.

But it turns out that on the market you can buy a fur coat without marking. The seller will switch to a whisper and pull out, as a rule, a very stale short fur coat from under the floor - for lovers of savings at their own peril and risk.

This is pure mutton. If you want, I’ll rebuff the lining - you’ll whisper, - Vazgen offers me a wild way to check.

I refuse and leave. In two hours of walking around fur boutiques, I manage to annoy many with my meticulousness, capriciousness and attempts not only to check the fur through the phone, but also to twitch it properly with my fingers. Sellers frown at such treatment of fur coats and more and more often offer me to “try to buy for this price in Moscow”.

FOUR NAIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CHOOSING A FUR COAT

What to look for when buying

The hem should be open, not stitched, so that you can see the wrong side of the fur coat - it is sewn from whole skins or small pieces. The thread color of a good fur coat should be the same as that of the fur. Natural fur is soft and elastic. If it is rough and does not shine, then it is of poor quality or artificial. On each coat, look for the manufacturer's label with the production address and the care label.

What should be the fur

Run your hand against the hairs. The fur is soft and immediately returns to its natural position, does not break or bristle? When twitching, the fur does not crumble and does not remain in the fingers? (A mink, a raccoon, and an otter don't shed; a couple of hairs may fall from a fox or arctic fox, but nothing more.) Is the inside of a good fur coat light, not dyed? Then you have to take it!

What style and color to choose

Any style is suitable for tall and slender girls, including fur coats that are fashionable this season to the middle of the knee, slightly narrowed down. If you have wide hips, buy trapeze models - from the armpits to the waist or to the floor. Women with broad shoulders fit flared - from the armpits or from the waist. Trapezoidal models, but not below the knee, will suit low stout men. Brunettes will suit white and any bright colored fur. But avoid black, so as not to merge with a fur coat. And blondes should pay attention to black and blue products.

Does the fur coat have a guarantee, expiration date and quality certificate

When buying, it is very important to consider whether the fur coat has a guarantee, an expiration date and a quality certificate. For any fur coat bought not on the market and not from hands, you are required to issue a quality certificate. It will contain the name and legal address of the manufacturer, the country and legal address of the manufacturer, if the fur coat was not made in Russia. Also there will be the name of the organization that performed the certification, with the seal and signature of the director of this organization, the type of fur, type of product, GOST quality standards and the validity of the certificate.

By law, the manufacturer has the right not to establish a warranty period. However, many factories and stores in the struggle for the buyer still give warranty cards for a period of 6 to 12 months. The warranty begins with the onset of the season, in Russia it is November 1st. If during this time you notice that something is wrong with the fur coat, then it can be returned to the store. But for this you have to prove that this is a factory defect, and not your crazy hands. In such cases, the fur coat is sent for examination. Here she will judge you with the manufacturer.

WHAT IS WHAT

MUTON

(+) It serves for a long time, and sometimes it warms better than expensive furs, perfectly protects against strong cold winds, and is not afraid of precipitation. (-) Heavy and looks cheap. Exceptions are combined products trimmed, for example, with fox, mink or fox.

NUTRIA

(+) Sheared looks expensive and beautiful, light. Ideal for young fashionistas who cannot afford expensive fur. (-) Not warm and not suitable for harsh climates. It wears out quickly and rarely retains the beauty of the fur for more than five years.

FOX

(+) Fur is light and very warm. Even in minus 20 it will be comfortable. (-) The fur wears out and falls off, so it is better to avoid belts, and carry a handbag on a strap. Doesn't like moisture. A wet fur coat must be thoroughly dried and combed. The white fox may turn yellow after a few seasons.

BEAVER

(+) The fur is elastic, soft, shiny. Thick undercoat provides good thermal insulation. Durable. (-) Quickly absorbs odors, especially cigarette smoke. To get rid of the smell, you will have to take it to dry cleaning.

OTTER

(+) The most resistant fur, can be worn up to 20 years. Sheared otter looks stylish and looks like a mink, while half the price of the latter. (-) Pretty heavy. Smells like fish when wet.

FOX

(+) Beautiful fur. It is not afraid of moisture and does not wear out for a long time. (-) The long pile is very full.

RACCOON

(+) The golden mean: a practical, durable fur coat. The fur is warm, voluminous, light, with a long pile. (-) Not suitable for short curvy women.

MINK

(+) Good fur. Warm. You can wear it in severe frosts, however, with a warm lining. It looks expensive and prestigious, with high-quality tailoring it will last a very long time. (-) Price and abundance of Chinese fakes.

IMPORTANT!

1. The fur coat must have a chip with a QR code. It contains all the information about the fur coat: from what and where it is made, who is the manufacturer. 2. The code is read using the "Check Goods" application, which can be downloaded to your phone from Google Play or the App Store.