Leather and Fur (Study Guide)

Leather and Fur Key Concepts ● The three major types of companies in the leather industry and their functions ● The nine different categories of leather and the special finishes used on leather ● The history and development of the fur industry in the United States ● The steps in transforming fur pelts into finished garments The Leather Industry ● Making leather is a highly specialized and time consuming operation ● They must predict trends far in advance from other textile suppliers ● Leather producers typically decide what production method, textures, finishes and colors they will use 8-16 months before a leather reaches the apparel and accessory manufacturers ● As a result those in other fashion industries often look to the leather industry for leadership, particularly in terms of color and texture. ● Since leather is a bi-product of the meatpacking industry, it is not normally the target of environmentalists as is the fur industry. Few animals are raised specifically for their hides. Most animals are raised to feed people, and their skin and hides, which have no food value are then sold to the leather trade. ● Faux leather does not decompose, but real does 9 Major Categories of Leather Almost all leather comes from cattle, but the hides and skins of many other animals are used in fashion apparel and accessories ● Cattle ● Sheep and Lamb ● Goat ● Equine (Horse, Mule, and Zebra) ● Buffalo ● Pig and Hog ● Deer ● Kangaroo ● Exotic Leather: Aquatic: Frog, Seal, Shark, Walrus, and Turtle Land: Camel, Ostrich, and Elephant Reptile: Alligator, Crocodile, Lizard, and Snake Leather Processing Animal pelts are divided into 3 classes based on weight ● Skins: 15 lbs or less when shipped to the tannery. Consists of goats, calves, pigs, sheep and deer. ● Kips: 15-25 lbs when shipped to the tannery. Consists of young horses and cattle. ● Hides: Weighing more than 25 lbs when shipped to the tannery. Consists of full grown cattle, oxen, buffalo, and horses. ● Tanning: The process of transforming animal pelts into leather. The tanning process involves minerals, vegetable materials, oils and chemicals, used alone or in combination. The choice of a tanning agent depends on the end use for which the leather is being prepared. There are 2 methods of tanning: ○ Chrome salts: is used in 2/3rds of all leather produced in the USA. Used for shoe uppers, garments, gloves and handbags. ○ Vegetable Tanning: is used on cow, steer, horse and buffalo hides. Heavier, stiff leather used for bags, saddles, and some shoe uppers. ● Finishing: Gives leather the desired thickness, color, and aesthetic appeal. Leather is dyed and then oils and fats are added to ensure softness and strength or to waterproof if. Trends in the Leather Industry ● Enlarging Markets ○ Improved methods of tanning are turning out better products like softer leather, more varieties in dyed leather and washable finishes and cleanin ● Increased Competition from Synthetics ○ Synthetics that look and feel like leather and becoming more popular ○ This is increasingly becoming more popular due to clients who don’t wear animal products or want a lower price point ○ Ultra Suede, Leather, and Vinyl are the top fabrics in this category ● Industry Growth Factors The Fur Industry ● Long before prehistoric people learned how to plant crops, weave cloth, or build shelters, they figured out how to use fur. They spread it on the floor to use as rugs and wore it as a means of warmth. ● By the middle ages, the wearing of fur announced one’s wealth and status. Sable, marten and fox were the favored furs of nobility. Italian nobles wore fur as a symbol of purity. English nobles wore it as a sign of power. ● Fur is still big business in America, with fur retail sales totaling 1.3 billion in 2011. Up 34% since 1990. ● Fashions in furs do change with the times, although they change less quickly than other apparel styles because fur is so expensive. While mink coats account for ½ of all furs sold today, fifty years ago the most popular fur was ermine. Today ermine would only be used as a theatre prop and could be bought at a second hand shop fairly cheap.  Types of Fur ● Beaver ● Calf ● Chinchilla ● Coyote ● Ermine ● Fox ● Lamb ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Lynx Mink Nutria Rabbit Raccoon Sable Tanuki 3 Stages of Fur Production ● The reapers, farmers, and ranchers ○ They produce the pelts (bodies) and sell them at auctions ● The fur processing companies ○ Make the pelts suitable for use in consumer products ○ The pelts are first softened by soaking in solution ○ Then a “flesher” removes any unwanted substances from the inner surface of the skin. ● The manufacturers of fur products ○ The production of fur garments lends itself neither to mass production nor a large scale operation. ○ Doing each step by hand lets a worker deal with each pelt’s color, quality and peculiarities. Animal Rights Groups ● Over the last 40 years, animal rights groups have protested the wearing of fur as cruel and inhumane ● Some are opposed to trapping animals in the wild, while others protest fur farming ● A practice of raising fur bearing animals in captivity for the sole purpose of their fur ● Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is the biggest organization fighting the battle with protests and media coverage, but there are many more ● There are celebrities wearing real fur still Luxury Brands Who are Anti-Fur ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Stella McCartney (the first to not only be fur free, but leather free!) Tommy Hilfiger Versace Michael Kors Giorgio Armani Gucci Burberry (most recently, 2018) And more… Manufactured Furs ● Manufactured, synthetic or faux furs were long regarded as too low level for serious high end designers and were only found in inexpensive garments. Technology and animal rights activists have changed that view and now fake fur is considered fashionable. ● The improved synthetic furs are used by a wide range of designers for higher priced garments that still cost less compared to real fur. ● Some designers still shun real fur as a matter of principle and use fakes instead. ● A strong argument against fake furs is from an environmental standpoint. Fake furs release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere during production, while real fur is a renewable source.