Fur coats are always appealing no matter how old they are and if you have a beautiful fur coat like this fox fur coat that has been sitting in your closet for a while, you might be considering these 3 things; refurbishing it, selling it, or swapping it for a new one. These 3 options can be easily chosen thanks to the internet. But of course choosing can be very difficult and if you’re indecisive, reading this article will be of great help.
Okay, without further ado here are 3 important points for you to understand:
1. The sentimental value of that fur coat
Yes, sentimental value is often everything and probably the only reason you haven’t sold it until now is the sentimental value. This is a variable that has nothing to do with monetary value; it is a purely sentimental question and hence cannot provide convenience in purely economic terms. You would never wear that long buff-colored fur coat from the 70s as is, but it belonged to your dear grandmother or mother, so selling it or exchanging it, no!
2) The condition of the fur
Renewing a fur coat is essentially turning an old garment into something new; for this to work, the initial condition must be good. To evaluate it, the following three factors must be taken into account:
State of conservation
A fur coat made decades ago, which we inherited or which was given to us by an elderly aunt, must be analyzed by an expert who will examine not only the fur but also the leather, to ensure that the leather is not dry or crystallized and therefore still soft enough to work with and undergo treatments such as renewal without being damaged. Only in this way will we be able to estimate the lifespan of the new fur, which can still be used for several years depending on the condition of the starting material.
Color
Often old fur has an unattractive color, this is a fact. Time is definitely the main culprit, which causes the hair to oxidize and cause the color to fade. What was once a beautiful black-brown Glama mink fur now appears reddish, or a Greenland fox that was once white has now turned completely yellow. The loss of color or its change is one reason for great reflection as it is not always possible to dye old fur. Although tanneries are always looking for new treatment systems, coloring still has an aggressive action that can cause damage to the skin if it becomes too fragile over time. This is one of the cases where it would be easier to exchange a used fur coat and buy a new one, as you can choose from a variety of brighter and trendier colors.
Volume and processing
Let’s be honest! Turning old furs into new and exciting outfits is not always possible.
While volumes and models were once truly luxurious in terms of the quantity of fur used, this does not mean that one fur coat can be used to create another fur coat of the same length. We have to take into account that the leather originally used has been worked and cut, and often in eras where the methodology of workmanship was completely different. This element can sometimes prevent even the most skilled and competent craftsman from being able to create what you envision. In essence, only he is able to tell you what is possible regardless of the abundance of materials available.
3) Convenience of remodeling
There is no doubt about this aspect, it is a very convenient option from the point of view:
It is a low cost operation, usually you can get an excellent final result for an amount that can vary from 800 to 1,200 dollars, certainly much lower than the cost of a new item of the same type. Not only that, old furs are valuable materials that we can recycle, and this is an ethical choice that we embrace as it contributes to lowering the level of pollution generated by the fashion industry.
In short, YES or NO?
To conclude this article, let’s draw some conclusions.
In the extreme case: NO
There are situations where, as mentioned, it is not advisable to proceed with renovation. Namely when the conditions of conservation or the materials that can be obtained from your fur are such that they do not allow an effective transformation process to take place. In those cases, you can always try to get something out of it by selling it. But if the fur is only a few years old and still in excellent condition, you can of course consider renovation.
Hopefully, this article has cleared your doubts!
