“Faux Fur Coats”

Many people are ethically opposed to wearing animal fur but still want to enjoy the look and feel of fur. The next best thing to real fur is the faux fur coat, faux meaning fake in the French language. Some customers want the garments to look as real as possible whilst others actually want it to look like imitation fur. They don’t want to be accused of wearing animal fur when they are not. It has been known for anti-fur protesters to throw paint over fur clothes. This type of faux item is possibly the only one where looking fake is encouraged. We will see many faux fur items this winter 2007 and 2008 season since fur is a very popular winter fashion trend for this season.

The quality of faux varies, according to the materials used, whether they are hand finished and the cost involved. The faux fur coat and other clothes are usually made from a blend of acrylic and polyester or acrylic alone. Some manufacturers use a high quality acrylic, which gives a softer feel, with a more realistic looking pile. In addition to full length and three quarter length coats, there are fake jackets, wraps, stoles, capes, shrugs and boleros. Hats, scarves and muffs are also popular. It’s not just for the ladies either; there is also a range for men and children.

Some items are specially made for the wedding market. Brides who are anti-fur still want to look a million dollars and a winter wedding is a great excuse to wrap a white bolero around the wedding dress. There is a sexy wear range too, notable for the use of a lot of pink fur! Eyeshades are also available, in ocelot or zebra prints.

There are many actresses and fashion models today that make a stand against animal fur and who also want to promote the use of the faux fur coat. One such celebrity is English actress Liz Hurley who has posed for photographs, wearing an attractive artificial mink stole.

There is a great deal of variety in styles and color when it comes to the faux fur coat and other fake clothing. Real animal furs are replicated to resemble leopard, mink, husky, African cheetah, fox, chinchilla and silver fox. Colors include the classic white, beige or gray or the more adventurous red and pink.

The only negative element for animal lovers is the fact that some real fur items are being sold under the pretence of being fake. Some imports from China have turned out to be skins taken from dogs and cats. This practice must be nipped in the bud for the continuing success of the faux fur coat industry.