Fur Has a Long History in the World and Should Be Appreciated

Fur

My personal opinion of fur is very positive: in fact, I love it. While today many people associate fur with fashion, the fact is that fur has been around for a very long time. It is commonly believed among historians to be one of the first types of clothing to be worn by mankind. It was a material whose original use was primarily as an insulator.[footnoteRef:1] Over the centuries trappers made their livelihoods from collect furs and selling them to furs manufacturers who would make them into coats, accessories, etc. So in the beginning fur was worn because it was available, because it was warm, and because it was in demand (as an item that was not in high supply). [1: Ernest Ingersoll, "Furs are articles made from the skins of fur-bearing animals prepared with the hair left on," Encyclopedia Americana, 1920.]

As a result of the demand, furs were also expensive so not everyone could afford them. And as with anything that is expensive, it can quickly become a status symbol to show others that you are in possession of it. That is how fur became ingrained in the social hierarchy: the upper classes wore furs -- both for their warmth and for their glamour. By the 16th century, fur was a major economic commodity and trappers' furs were highly prized and sought after -- especially in the New World.

Gradually fur became a global commodity. However, as with anything, when it becomes big, big money gets behind it, and corruption soon follows. Soon there were cruelty to animals groups who advocated the banning of furs because of the cruel treatment that animals on fur farms were receiving. This is actually the only reason I have to hate fur (or what it has become today). What I mean what I say that I hate fur, however, is that I hate the process the fur industry has adopted: just like McDonald's mistreats the animals it uses for its final product, so too does the fur industry mistreat the animals it uses for its furs. Stella McCartney is one anti-fur activist who has been very active about the horror visited upon animals by the industry.

As a result of the cruelty to animals that has become a byproduct of the big money behind the fur industry (as well as the fact that fur is still very expensive), faux fur has become a popular item among fur admirers. Faux fur, in fact, has taken upon itself a kind of retro connotation, so has become a fashion statement in its own right. My opinion of faux fur is as favorable as my opinion of real fur: I love it and wear it too but mainly because it is available in so many fun colors. The only real problem with faux fur is that it does not keep me as warm as real fur does: faux fur is just not as good at insulating as the real thing. And in the cold winter months in NYC, insulation is a very important thing to me!

Another great thing about fur is that it almost seems timeless -- of an age that never goes out of style yet is always of excellent vintage. Fur also brings back great memories of my childhood: as a little kid, I always loved dressing up in my grandmother's vintage fur jackets. Nothing makes me remember those days more than wrapping up in a nice warm fur on a cold, blistery east coast winter evening.

But fur takes me back even further than that: it gets me thinking of the history of furs -- how traditional wearing them is. I feel connected to all the centuries and peoples of the past -- to all those epochs and eras -- and even to the higher societies. Fur is a great pick-me-up in this respect. One can wear it and be both appreciative of the enormous amount of handiwork involved in the process of putting furs together: just to manufacture a simple jacket requires a great deal of skill. Wearing fur today is almost like wearing a work of art!

Nonetheless, there is a responsible way to go about fur -- and that should be appreciated by everyone. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 and 1988 regulates the use of animals considered endangered or threatened with extinction and protects them from being killed for their fur. This is a positive step in developing appropriate and responsible attitudes about fur. Faux fur is also a positive step in that it keeps (at least the fashionable) spirit of fur alive -- without any of the guilt of killing animals (which is something I admit I don't like to think about).