Content

• Steps
• Tips

Fur coats, fur stoles and fur accessories are too expensive to buy new ones every time. As an organic part of once-living animals, they are also easily damaged over time. Furs are at risk of being eaten and decomposed by mold, insects and rodents, so follow “best practice” in regulating storage conditions for your furs. By following these steps, you will protect your valuable furs and extend their lifespan.

Steps

1. 1 Store fur in a cool, dry, dark place. When not wearing fur, store it in a closet with an indirect heat source. If your preferred storage location has a heat sink, close the valve so that direct heat does not dry out the fur, causing damage to it. Alternating cooling and heating cycles will deteriorate the fur and can cause significant damage to it, so an unheated place is not suitable.
2. 2 Let the fur breathe. Leave room around it for air circulation. This will allow moisture from your body to dissipate before mold forms.
3. 3 Keep the fur dry. If the fur gets damp, shake it out and hang it up to dry. If it gets wet, take it to a fur store for restoration.
4. 4 Beware or eliminate the possibility of insects and rodents. Keep these pests away from the fur. They will invariably gnaw on it. Use a deterrent and, if necessary, chemicals and traps to rid the storage area of ​​parasites.
5. 5 Store fur in a controlled environment. Your fur will last longer if stored at favorable temperatures and humidity. If the fur is very expensive, take it to the fur store for refrigerated storage during the warmer months. This setting cools the fur to slow down the inevitable wear and tear, and also controls moisture to prevent mold growth. Please note that ventilated areas of the home and standard refrigerators tend to have high humidity. Try to keep storage areas with a relative humidity of about 50% and a temperature of 50ºF (10ºC).
6. 6 Avoid catastrophic losses. Keeping your fur coats, jackets and fur accessories at home during the summer months can be very costly. To keep fur coats and other fur clothing in perfect condition, they need to be kept in a place that maintains a certain microclimate, in cold basements, not in hot, dry cabinets filled with mothballs. Home ventilation is often too humid. You need to maintain a temperature of 50ºF (10ºC) and a humidity of 50% at all times to maintain the proper moisture level in the furs. Also, remember that smells from cedar and mothballs stick to fur, leather, and wool, creating long-lasting, unpleasant odors.

Tips

• If the fur is expensive, make sure it is insured, especially if you take it to storage.
• Faux fur is much harder than natural fur. Being inherently flexible (often very soft, rather pliable), it usually does not require special care. Faux fur is much cheaper. Consider faux fur as an aid to help natural fur last longer. Only wear real fur on special occasions.