Fur tips: Fur Labeling

Fall is slowly creeping in and I am getting excited about my to-buy list: chic pants, knits, light jackets and boots and fur-trimmed everything!

Michael Kors and Gucci, the epitome of effortlessly chic

It’s no secret that fur is one of the strongest trends for Fall and Winter and maybe you are planning on buying something furry this year. With the wide variety of choices (fur types, colors, combinations), don’t forget to take into consideration one of the most important facts: the origin of your fur.

I think it’s important to be well informed when it comes to fur, so here is some background information about fur labeling in North America.

In the USA, all fur apparel must have a label that specifies:

• the type of fur
• the origin of the fur
• Where the apparel was manufactured
• Whether the fur is natural or dyed

In Canada, there are no requirements about exactly what information must be listed on a fur apparel tag, but reputable fur salons will always identify the type of fur, and will also provide other useful information. Even if you are not planning to buy a full fur garment, it’s still worth your time to visit a specialized boutique. Most of them carry fur-trimmed outerwear including leather, wool and textile coats. For a complete list of fur boutiques that are members of the Retail Fur Council of Canada, click here.

The Fur Council of Canada (the national industry association with representatives from all sectors of the trade) is proposing that Canadian retailers begin listing the same information as in the USA. The Beautifully Canadian label was launched in 2002, and assures that the garment or accessory that carries the label was designed, cut and sewn in Canada, using high quality Canadian furs.

And of course, under provisions of the Competition Act (administered by the federal Competition Bureau) any information listed on fur tags or labels must be accurate.

There is so many labels and information to know about fur labeling that I can’t write it all in this single post. I will review some other important fur quality labels in upcoming posts.

Backstage pictures Vogue.com

100 Days of Fur: Day 65

To read the full story on the 100 Days of Fur experiment, click here.

While I hoped that there would be exciting things to report throughout this experiment, I have come to accept that it has been highly uneventful. Yes, I have been warm. I’ve had beautiful furs given to me by supporters of the experiment, sent from Montreal, Toronto, and as far as Germany. And I have felt glamorous. But anyone who tells you that you’ll get spat on or harassed if you wear fur is lying, as I’ve not witnessed  a single negative reaction to my 100 days of fur, or at least the 65 days so far.

I’ll be taking a week off starting Saturday, as I’m going on holiday to Maui, and I am not even going to pretend that there’s a reason to be wearing fur when all I want to wear is bikinis. But I am passing the reigns onto my good friend Rebecca, who wil be wearing fur on my behalf. I will introduce her later on in the week.

In the meantime, here is one of my favourite fur pieces, a sheared beaver scarf. On rainy days, particularly when I am walking the dog and I don’t want to wear my beautiful fur through the rainy, wet forest, I keep myself warm with the scarf. It is super cosy and soft.

The scarf from Starlight Furs and is part of the Beautifully Canadian range, which is a label that identifies fur apparel & accessories handcrafted in Canada by master furriers.