Fur has been used as a material to keep warm for millennia – but as times have moved on and faux (imitation) fur production quality has improved, there are more and more reasons to choose faux fur over the real thing.
If you’ve been thinking about investing in a fur throw for your home, it’s worth putting in the appropriate research prior to making a decision. This guide will walk you through the myriad of reasons that we believe high quality faux fur is the only real choice.
Why choose a Faux Fur throw over a real fur throw?
- No Animals are harmed
- Faux Fur is more durable
- Faux Fur doesn’t shed
- You’ll spend less money
- Cleaning and care for Faux Fur is easier
- Faux Fur is better for the environment
- Faux Fur trends are on the rise
- Faux Fur looks and feels just as good
1. No Animals Are Harmed
Real fur is harvested from animals, and it’s estimated that between 40-60 million animals are killed every year for the production of fur products1.
Many people are unaware of just how many animals go into the construction of a single fur product, but did you know that to make one fur coat it takes 150-300 chinchillas, 200-250 squirrels, 50-60 minks, or 15-40 foxes1?
Most of the world’s genuine fur is made in Europe, and sadly most of the animals live short and stressful lives – in fact 85% of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living in captivity in fur factory farms2. These farms are so stressful for the animals that they have recently been banned in the UK3.
It goes without saying that for animal-lovers, Faux Fur is the more ethical choice when it comes to choosing a fur for the home.
2. Faux Fur is more durable
Faux Fur simply lasts longer; when compared to animal fur, Faux Fur stays in better condition over the years.
Often when we think of real, genuine furs we imagine that they might last for many years and even be passed down generations. The reality is that a beautiful, thick, well crafted Faux Fur throw is much more likely to stand the test of time and become a family heirloom.
Whilst genuine fur is treated with chemicals to try and slow down degradation, it is still ultimately a natural, organic product and is liable to shed hairs and biodegrade over time.
In theory a real fur holds its value if kept in perfect condition – in practice this is rarely the case. In practice, with regular use, a Faux fur throw represents the better investment to get warm and cosy – and indeed serve as a statement piece around the home – for years to come.
3. Faux fur doesn’t shed
Particularly with any amount of friction, compression or general use, real fur will shed. Many unsuspecting buyers of real fur have ended up lamenting the hairs littering their living rooms, and the gradual thinning of their expensive genuine fur.
In contrast, a well crafted faux fur throw does not shed and will retain its original lustre over generations with some modest care.
A slight caveat to this lies in the quality of the materials used. In practice some cheaper Faux fur blankets can occasionally shed. Jen Stark, founder of DIY Homes says the difference comes down to quality. her advice is to “first make sure to choose a blanket made from quality materials, that are resistant to shedding”. At Fenrir we recommend quality Acrylic construction over Polyester ones, and indeed all our premium range of Faux wolf fur throws use Acrylic Faux Fur.
4. You’ll spend less money
Whilst a high quality Faux Fur throw is an investment and does not come cheap, accessories with real fur can run into the several thousands, depending on the quality of the fur and how much fur is used.
In fairness, this makes sense when factoring in the sheer number of animals that go into the making of each item, and the labour intensive processes involved – but with the quality of modern Faux Fur production being what it is, along with the other benefits outlined in this guide, there’s simply no reason to splash out on an inferior, less ethical product.
5. Cleaning and care for Faux Fur is easier
Genuine furs typically come with fairly high-maintenance care instructions in order to retain their condition. Shedding aside, washing real fur can be an ordeal in itself as it can’t be machine washed – instead requiring dry cleaning establishments that are familiar with handling fur, which can be pricey.
To make matters worse, real fur must often be stored in special climate-controlled conditions during the spring and summer months so as to not become damaged by heat and humidity4.
Washing a Faux Fur is a much simpler affair – they can be safely spot cleaned, or for a full clean machine washed on cold or 30ºC.
6. Faux fur is better for the environment
There are some misconceptions that Faux Fur is in some way worse for the environment than real fur, but in reality this has been debunked and could not be further from the truth. Despite what propaganda from the fur industry might tell you, several European advertising standards committees have ruled that advertising fur as environmentally friendly is “false and misleading.”6
In fact, the amount of energy used to produce a real fur coat from animal skins is approximately 20 times that needed to produce a Faux Fur garment5,
Just as with animal agriculture, keeping millions of animals on fur farms (which accounts for some 80% of fur harvesting2) has a massive ecological footprint, requiring vast amounts of land, water, feed, and energy. To make matters worse, once the fur is harvested it’s treated with harmful chemicals to prevent decomposition – these are toxic to humans and find their way into the waterways deep in the ground.
Whilst Faux Fur production practices are far from perfect, these products are designed to last much longer, and the processes are always improving – real fur is always going to be toxic and involve a huge ecological footprint and cruelty to boot7.
From local pollution, biodiversity loss, toxics in fur and the climate impact of the industry it’s clear that Faux fur is the environmentally friendly choice over real fur.
7. Faux Fur trends are on the rise
Throughout the fashion industry over the last few years there has been something of a Faux Fur revolution.
In 2018 People Magazine pronounced that “The hottest thing in fashion right now is going fur-free”8, and designers such as Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren have come out in droves vowing never to use natural fur in any collections going forward.
Turns out, what works for the runway also works for the living room: Interior designers the world over, along with the soft furnishings market, have responded by using Faux Furs to add texture and warmth to any setting. In years gone by designers may have used it as a substitute for the real thing to create more affordable products. Today, however, it is the opposite: faux fur shows a certain prestige and modernity. The visual of fur is a timeless trend – why not join the global movement towards beautiful, high quality Faux Fur.
8. Faux Fur looks and feels just as good
Around the home, the trend for a luxurious Faux Fur soft furnishing has gone from strength to strength, and doesn’t look set to diminish. Interior designers love Faux Fur for its rustic texture, extravagant connotations and luxuriously soft and inviting qualities – and when it looks that good, why go for the real thing?
What’s more, as far as warmth is concerned, Faux fur is just as good. In 2016, French laboratory EMITECH published a comparative study between a mink jacket and a faux fur jacket and found out the protection against freezing temperatures was equivalent9.
In particular high quality Acrylic faux fur insulates exceptionally well when compared to polyester based furs.
To conclude, it has become increasingly more difficult to tell the difference between real fur and Faux Fur. This isn’t a surprise, as technical advances in the faux fur manufacturing process have closed the gap in the look and feel. With so many reasons to invest in a premium Faux Fur through, why even entertain the real thing?
If you’d like to invest in a high quality Acrylic throw, why not take a look at our range of Fenrir Faux Wolf Fur throws.
- Foundation for Counseling and Action in Defense of Animals
- International Fur Trade Federation, “Types of Wild Fur,” last accessed 8 Nov 2020
- European Commission, Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare,
- 4 Reasons Faux Fur Is Just as Good as the Real Thing, Good Housekeeping 2014
- Gregory H. Smith, “Energy Study of Real vs. Synthetic Furs,” University of Michigan, Sep 1979.
- https://www.furfreealliance.com/environment-and-health/
- https://www.teenvogue.com/story/faux-fur-real-fur-which-is-more-sustainable
- PEOPLE Magazine 2018
- A study of Fur and Faux fur insulation in freezing temperatures, EMITECH 2016