FUR COATS AND RAIN: DOs and DON’Ts

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Fur coats are valuable luxury items: this is why most people wouldn’t wear them on rainy days, being afraid to ruin them.

On one side, they are right: choosing to wear a fur garment during a storm or a heavy snowfall would permanently ruin the fur. If the leather absorbs a great amount of water, it will lose its softness, its original shape and its natural colour.

On the other side, there are a few reasons why you should wear a fur garment in the rain. Read further to find them out!

FUR IS NATURALLY WATER-REPELLENT

One good reason why you should wear a fur garment under a light rain is that fur is naturally designed to bear bad weather conditions.

Think about wild animals. Their natural habitats are subject to snow, rain and low temperatures for the most part of the year.  This is why their coat has to guarantee warmth, thermic insulation and resistance against weather factors.

The special thickness and water-resistance of animal fur comes from the great amounts of keratin and natural oils that its hairs contain. Those substances especially concentrate in the guard hairs: this upper layer creates a seal against climate factors, as water drops slip on the oily surface of the hairs, therefore not penetrating through the inner layers.

NOT ALL FUR TYPES ARE THE SAME

By now, you should be convinced that every fur coat can bear a light rain. Nonetheless, there are certain types which are more sensitive than others. Here is the list:

Water-resistant fur types:

  1. Semi-aquatic animals such as beaver, nutria, otter and raccoon.
  2. Unplucked
  3. Sables: the wild species lives in arctic landscapes.

Furs to avoid under the rain:

  1. Chinchilla
  2. Rex rabbit
  3. Any dyed or coloured fur is harder to recover if it gets wet

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY FUR COAT GETS WET?

Let’s say you’ve chosen to wear a mink fur coat, and the garment has collected some rain drops. Learning how to dry it out properly is important in order to prevent damages.  Here are 6 tips:

3 DON’Ts:

  1. Don’t put the garment in the closet if it’s still wet.
  2. If your garment gets soaked, don’t employ DIY methods, such as a dryer, a hairdryer or fans.
  3. Don’t expose the garment to direct sun light or radiators’ heat.

3 DOs:

  1. If your garment gets wet, gently shake it a bit and hang it for a day in a dry room.
  2. When it’s dry, brush the garment before putting it away.
  3. If the fur is deeply wet, consider bringing it to a professional furrier who will know how to take care of the damage.