Reference
Reference
This glossary collects the words that come up in fur care advice and in conversations with a furrier. The explanations are intentionally short and general: that's enough to understand the recommendations on a care label and to ask a furrier precise questions.
A furrier can help you more easily when you describe the problem precisely: not “something's wrong with my coat” but “the hair on the sleeve has worn thin and a seam has come apart.”
Fur
- Guard hair
- The long, coarser and glossier hair that forms the outer layer of fur. It shields the underfur from friction and moisture and largely determines how the fur looks.
- Underfur
- The short, soft and dense lower layer of hair. It is the underfur that traps warm air and keeps you warm.
- Leather side
- The skin of the pelt, also called the pelt or hide, which holds the hair in place. How soft and strong a garment is depends on its condition; the leather side tolerates neither overdrying nor dampness well.
- Pile
- The hair of the fur as a whole. When people say the pile has worn thin, matted or been crushed, they mean the look and condition of the hair.
- Plucked fur
- Fur with the guard hair removed, so that only the soft underfur remains. It looks velvety and feels especially soft to the touch.
- Sheared fur
- Fur in which the hair has been trimmed to an even length. The result is a smooth, dense surface.
The garment
- Lining
- The fabric on the inside of a garment that covers the leather side and protects it from rubbing against your clothes. The lining wears out before the fur does, and it can be replaced.
- Furrier
- A craftsperson who works with fur: repairing garments, restyling them and altering them for a better fit. People go to a furrier with split seams, tears and questions about restyling.
- Restyling
- Remaking a fur garment into a different style or a different item altogether — for example, turning a coat into a vest, a short jacket or a collar.
- Letting out
- A furrier's technique in which a pelt is cut into narrow strips and sewn back together in a new way to change its shape and the way the fur lies. Put simply, it's a way of re-cutting the fur.
Materials
- Sheepskin
- The skin of a sheep with its wool still attached. Tanned sheepskin is used to make shearling coats, vests and fur trim.
- Mouton
- Sheepskin that has been specially processed. Mouton garments are worn with the fur on the outside, like a fur coat.
- Shearling coat
- Outerwear made of tanned sheepskin, worn with the fur on the inside and the leather side facing out. The leather side doesn't like dampness, so after a slushy day the coat is dried at room temperature.
- Faux fur
- A pile fabric that imitates the look of natural fur. People choose it for different reasons — ethical, practical or simply because they like the garment. Check the care label for how to look after it.
Where these words come up
- Guides
How to get a fur coat ready for summer storage: preparation, steps with sample scenarios, mistakes, other options and a checklist.
- Mink coat (in Russian)
An archived address from the previous website: what makes mink fur special and how to care for a mink coat through the seasons.
- Nutria coat (in Russian)
An archived address from the previous website: the qualities of nutria fur, plucked and sheared nutria, drying and storing the coat.
- Questions
Short answers about everyday wear, care and storage, and about choosing between natural and faux fur.
Further reading
- Sections
A map of the guide: natural fur, faux fur and other warm clothing, care and storage, repairs and a second life.
- Guides
How to get a fur coat ready for summer storage: preparation, steps with sample scenarios, mistakes, other options and a checklist.
- Questions
Short answers about everyday wear, care and storage, and about choosing between natural and faux fur.
- Collections
Reading paths: the first snow, summer in the closet and an old coat from Grandma's trunk.
Sources
- Manufacturers' care recommendations for fur garments
- Reference books on fur and fur garment materials
The advice in this guide is based on general manufacturer recommendations and on reference literature about fur garments, and it is presented in general terms. If the care label on your garment gives its own instructions, they take priority over ours: whenever they differ, go by the label and by the opinion of a specialist who has seen the item in person.