Why mink coats are big business in Greece, of all places (2024)

FAQs

Why are there so many fur shops in Greece? ›

There is a simple reason. The Greeks have to process a particular type skins, these skins and furs are very popular.

Chinese consumers are the world's biggest buyers of fur, but some are beginning to ask questions and rethink their support of the trade, according to an exclusive Vogue Business survey.

It's not the softest, it's not the easiest to farm, it's not the most durable, and it's not the warmest. But it ranks high in every class, which is why people want it, and the industry wants you to want it – and no other fur can compete with that!

The move was surprising in Russia, where fur is a wardrobe staple. Although the country makes up approximately 6 per cent of global luxury spending, it is the world's second largest fur market. (China is the largest.)

One of the reasons, among the most obvious ones, is the high indirect taxation: Levies like value-added tax and the special consumption tax such as that introduced just a few years ago on coffee, were increased or created during the decade-long financial crisis but have remained in place since.

The fur trade started because of a fashion craze in Europe during the 17th century. Europeans wanted to wear felt hats made of beaver fur. The most important players in the early fur trade were Indigenous peoples and the French. The French gave European goods to Indigenous people in exchange for beaver pelts.

The best quality natural mink comes from the United States. The best sable fur comes from Russia If you choose a fur coat made from pelts sourced from one of the certified fur auction houses, such as the NAFA, SAGA, KOPENHAGEN, and ALC (Blackglama mink) you can be sure you are buying a high-quality fur garment.

The value of a vintage mink coat depends on a variety of factors, including the condition, size, brand and quality. A small mink coat could sell for under $300 while a top designer coat could sell for over $10,000.

The mink industry in Denmark, the world's biggest producer, has effectively been wiped out after a mass slaughter of the animals to fight the coronavirus was rushed through.

Although the longevity of fur varies from one type to another, a good quality mink coat, with proper care (storage and cleaning every year) can last up to 20 years or more.

Who wears mink coats? ›

It is worn by indigenous people and the Inuit people for many years, and it is because fur offers amazing insulating qualities. Fur, while not as popular as it once was, is still worn and produced these days. Countries such as China, Denmark, and Poland are known to be their biggest producers.

To make one fur coat, it takes 150-300 chinchillas, 200-250 squirrels, 50-60 minks, or 15-40 foxes, depending on the animals' subspecies.

While the Dog and Cat Protection Act prohibits the importation or sale of furs made from these animals, the products may still end up coming into the United States. Some nations, including Canada, continue to allow the trade of dog and cat fur.

Amongst the top three warmest furs in the world, along with the Polar bear and Arctic fox, possum fur has become a viable eco-fur.

Choose a Cool, Dark Place

When choosing a place to store your fur coat, be sure it is cool and dark. Furs do not tolerate warm temperatures well, as the heat has a tendency to dry out the furs and leather. Moreover, direct exposure to sunlight can cause fading and the fur can become discolored.

A developed country, Greece economy is based on the service sector (85%) and industry (12%), while the agricultural sector consists only 3% of the national economic output. The most important economic industries in Greece are tourism and merchant shipping.

Cost of Living

Greece is super-affordable, especially when compared to North America and much of the rest of Europe. Prices for daily essentials (food, transport, etc.) are at least 20% cheaper than in the U.S., and costs to rent an apartment can be as much as 70% less.

Greece Economy. Is Greece a wealthy country? Greece has a capitalist economy with a public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 18% of GDP.

Fur was relied on to make warm clothing, a critical consideration prior to the organization of coal distribution for heating. Portugal and Spain played major roles in fur trading after the 15th century with their business in fur hats.

Early Trade

The first Europeans to purchase furs from Indians were French and English fishermen who, during the 1500s, fished off the coast of northeastern Canada and occasionally traded with the Indians. In exchange, the Indians received European-manufactured goods such as guns, metal cooking utensils, and cloth.

Who made money from fur trade? ›

For nearly 200 years afterward, European American traders exchanged manufactured goods with Native people for valuable furs. The Ojibwe and Dakota held powerful positions, prompting both the French and British to actively court their military and trade allegiance.

Feel the difference by touching the hairs between the finger and thumb. Real fur feels very soft and smooth to touch, easily rolls between fingers. The fake fur is rough to the touch. It may become sticky in wet weather and may have the same feel as a stuffed animal toy.

If you burn it, real fur would burn slowly and blacken. It will also leave a particular smell, especially with mink fur coats, which is the scent of real hair burning. If it is faux fur, it will burn fast and it will leave the scent of plastic that has been burnt.

Mink fur coats can last a lifetime with proper care. You have probably heard of at least one person who inherited a beautiful mink fur coat from a relative who passed away. This individual may have even inherited the mink coat from someone else before that.

The Color of the Mink

Blue Iris, brown and black tend to be the most desired colors and, therefore, the most expensive. Dark brown is sold less often and can be found with a smaller price tag. There are several other different colors that are not quite as popular and are easier to find as well as cheaper.

During its peak, in the early 1980s, a mink coat typically cost $8,000 to $50,000 but could go above $400,000 for all-belly black Russian mink. Today it's a different story.

Russian sable is still the most prized and expensive fur in the world for its legendary silky quality, rarity and light weight.

Mink farmers remove the furs from minks' bodies and supply them as raw material to clothing and fashion companies. These farmers make the United States one of the leading mink producers in the world, behind Denmark, Poland, China, and the Netherlands.

Population size and distribution

GB population 122,000. The population of American mink has continually declined over the last 25 years.

Mink are found throughout the United States, appearing in parts of every state except Arizona. They are also present in most of Canada, including an introduced population on Newfoundland. Only along the Arctic coast and some offshore islands are they absent.

Can you wash a mink coat? ›

In order to remove stains from a natural fur coat, you should not throw your coat in an at-home washing machine. Although, if you have a fresh stain on your coat, quickly dab the coat with a clean cloth. Then, use another clean cloth that is slightly damp, to gently blot the stain. Lastly, allow the coat to air dry.

Removing stains on a natural fur coat should be handled by a professional dry cleaner. If you have a fresh stain on your fur coat, quickly dab it with a clean cloth. Use another clean, slightly damp cloth to gently blot the stain, and then allow to air-dry. Don't use stain remover or detergents on fur.

Will Rain Ruin a Fur? A mild rain will not ruin your fur. Just hang the garment up to dry in a well-ventilated room away from direct heat. After it is dry, give the fur a vigorous shake.

While today a mink coat can cost upwards of $10,000, in 1960 they were much more affordable. In fact, a good quality mink coat would have cost around $1,500 – which is equivalent to around $12,000 today.

Louis Vuitton is one of the last remaining brands that still uses antiquated fur and exotic skins—both of which are the product of tremendous animal abuse.

Mink coat values can vary widely depending on style, condition, pedigree, and workmanship. A small mink stole may sell at auction for under $100 while vintage mink coats by top designers can go for well over $10,000.

The top three most expensive and coveted furs around the globe are sable, lynx and chinchilla. Each of these furs possess characteristics that make them unique, extremely luxurious and highly sought-after.

Yes, in 2021 Israel became the first country in the world to ban real fur sales. In the United States, California became the first US state to ban the sale of fur in 2019 (the ban came into effect in January 2023) following similar bans in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood.

You should also check that it is symmetrical: the color is even, the cut is symmetrical, and the overall look is good throughout the garment – these are the basics to get you started. The fur should be soft and look nice, not dirty, clumpy, shaggy or uncombed. Just think about your own hair when it's in good condition.

Ms. Friedman said the legislation emerged out of concern for animal welfare as well as the “unsustainability of raising and killing animals strictly for their fur.” “We wanted to get that out of the California product chain,” she said. But cultural norms may be further ahead of the state's legislature.

What states have banned fur sales? ›

California has become the first US state to ban the sale of new animal fur products. The law, which was introduced in 2019, was implemented on January 1, 2023. It states that no such products can be manufactured or sold across the whole of the Golden State. The law applies to both online and store sales.

Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Serbia, Italy, France, North Macedonia, the Netherlands and the UK have legally prohibited fur farming and the breeding practice has already been terminated.

Chinchilla. And which one is the softest fur in the world? High quality natural chinchilla fur is unbeatable when it comes to softness, and chinchilla coats actually take the top prize for being the softest fur coats around.

Chinchillas come from the Andes Mountains in South America. They have the densest fur of any animal aside from the sea otter. Considered the softest animal in the world, chinchillas have 80-100 hairs per hair follicle (hole that hair grows out of), where humans only have 1-2.

A chinchilla's fur is considered the softest in the world: 30 times softer than human hair! This medium-sized rodent also evolved its fluffy fur to live in a harsh climate, this time the cold heights of the Andean mountains of western Chile.

Like virtually every other article of clothing (certain brand-name jewelry excepted), the moment you take a fur home, depreciation kicks in, and its value begins to diminish. Fur pelts also dry out over time, so the longer a coat has been sitting in your closet, the less valuable it has potentially become.

China has been the world's largest importer of fur pelts and the largest exporter of finished fur products.

Greece and the Greek islands are inundated with stray, abandoned and feral cats. The majority of them are born in the spring and survive through the kindness of tourists who feed them. At the end of the summer season the tourists leave, and some cats survive through the kindness of local Greeks.

The demand for furs from North America was mostly driven by the fashion styles that were popular in Europe. In the 16th century, costly furs like beaver and otter began to be incorporated into fashionable attire in Europe. This was done as a method to demonstrate one's riches and social standing.

Mammal winter pelts were prized for warmth, particularly animal pelts for beaver wool felt hats, which were an expensive status symbol in Europe. The demand for beaver wool felt hats was such that the beaver in Europe and European Russia had largely disappeared through exploitation.

What is the most valuable fur in the world? ›

Russian sable is still the most prized and expensive fur in the world for its legendary silky quality, rarity and light weight. A little sable jacket starts at about $16,000 and a top quality silvery coat can run upward of $150,000.

Disease in cats is a non-issue in Greece and has been since 1970. So while you don't have to worry about contracting rabies when you go to pet a cat, many cats have fleas or the cat flu, so it is always good to wash your hands after petting a cat.

Unlike most other countries in Western Europe, Greece has thousands of feral cats. Locals are used to them, and they often treat them as community cats. However, if you are visiting Greece for the first time, you may perceive it as a problem.

The Greek island of Santorini is known for its clear waters, cliffside neighborhoods, and blue-domed roofs. What some people may not know is that it's also famous for its population of feline friends! Santorini is home to an incredible number of stray cats.

The development of the North American fur trade can be attributed to three interrelated economic factors: 1) a bountiful supply of furs; 2) an indigenous and highly motivated fur gathering system that only the Native population could provide through their interest for European goods; 3) a continuing external demand for ...

Wood's Trapping Today website includes a 2022-2023 fur price market forecast where he predicts best-quality heavy western coyotes to bring in approximately $30-$40 per pelt, while lower-quality eastern coyotes may only bring in $10-$25 per pelt. Good-quality raccoon pelts may bring in $10-$15.

The beaver was the most valuable pelt sought by the European traders. Seventeenth century European fashion demanded that anyone of style simply had to have a beaver hat.

Humans wear fur garments to protect them from cold climates and wind chill, but documented evidence of fur as a marker of social status as far back as 2,000-years ago with ancient Egyptian emperors and high priests wearing the skins of leopards.

The Indigenous people often gave the settlers animal furs in exchange for weapons, metal goods, and other supplies. The settlers then sold many of the furs back to Europe, where they were worth a fortune.

The French were primarily interested in establishing commercially viable colonial outposts, so they created extensive trading networks throughout New France. They relied on native hunters to harvest furs, especially beaver pelts, and to exchange these items for French goods, like glass beads.