Mink coats are in constant and well-deserved demand among fans of natural fur. They look very elegant and amaze with the variety of colors available. Soft and silky fur allows you to realize any fantasies of fashion designers, so picky fashionistas can find any style, from a short “autolady” fur coat to chic floor-length models, striking with an exclusive combination of color shades and decorative elements.
Reference! Elite specialty stores offer a huge selection of high-quality products from the world's leading manufacturers. Fur coats made in Canada and Spain enjoy well-deserved recognition. Since 2016, fur products have undergone a mandatory chipping procedure and have a certificate of authenticity .
However, in the market it is easy to come across a very convincing seller who will strongly recommend the purchase of a wild mink fur coat, guaranteeing its authenticity and advertising its improved quality. Let's try to figure out how much we can trust such promises.
Features of fur
Wilderness residents claim that such an animal does not exist. Therefore, most often they mean the steppe marmot.
Marmots
There are several signs that distinguish a steppe mink from a regular one:
- The price of the products is significantly lower, therefore, fur coats become affordable to people with average incomes.
- The wool is rougher to the touch, the villi are of different lengths, and puff up when combed in the opposite direction.
- Dense white undercoat.
- The service life is half that of a fur coat made from regular mink.
Natural marmot fur
Still, this option is suitable for those who want to look impressive for little money. Wild field steppe mink is mined mainly for the production of products in China and other countries, the market of which is focused on mass tailoring.
Properties of fur and its difference from others
The wild animal is significantly smaller in size than its captive-bred relatives . Poor nutrition and living conditions affect the quality of fur. It has a higher pile, and both guard and down hair are longer, but the underfur is not as uniform as that of a regular mink. In addition, the skins of wild animals are often defective due to wounds and damage from various parasites.
The fur itself is very soft, beautiful, and has high water-repellent properties. And in appearance it resembles a sable. Therefore, a fur coat made from high-quality wild mink will be very expensive.
The purchase of skins is carried out at significantly lower prices precisely because of the large number of defects . Accordingly, the consumption of blanks for sewing products increases significantly.
How to distinguish a fur coat from a steppe animal
You should purchase any fur product only in trusted stores, without relying on the fact that they can also send you a good option by mail. It is necessary to carefully examine the product and touch it.
Short fur coat made of steppe mink fur
Steppe mink coats are made in Asian countries, since European manufacturers do not want to face many problems:
- Most often, production is carried out illegally, because this animal is listed as endangered in many countries.
- The fur is characterized by the presence of natural damage from life in the wild; there are many defective pieces that have to be thrown away.
- The pieces that make up the finished steppe mink product are much smaller than those from ordinary mink. This can be explained by the fact that the animal itself is small in size.
Marmot fur coat
Sometimes the fur of this animal is passed off as the skins of young nutria that died at an early age - up to three months. In order not to lose money, manufacturers deceive buyers. But such a product is easy to distinguish. The pile of steppe mink is higher and the fur looks natural. The skins of baby nutria are more like artificial ones.
What is the difference between a mink and a wild mink?
How is the fur of these animals different and how to choose the right fur coat for yourself? Here are a number of differences that will help you understand all the nuances:
- Wild animals live on the banks of lakes and rivers; ordinary animals can be raised on a farm.
- It is very rare to find wild mink on sale. Sellers should not be trusted, even if they prove otherwise to you. Only the certificate is important.
- Farm animals can be dark chestnut or brown in color. In wild ones it is much darker.
- The wild animal is small in size, but its pile is much higher.
- Farm animals have richer and thicker fur, while wild animals often have damage on their fur.
Therefore, there is no need to chase wild mink fur, since its quality is not always high. At the moment there is a large selection of all kinds of fur coats for every budget and taste.
A mink short fur coat is a universal model suitable for active women. Models made of colored fur are incredibly popular, they look festive and extraordinary. You should not think that only a very rich girl can afford a fur coat. Exhibitions and sales will help you buy a beautiful product at an affordable price.
The common mink is bred all over the planet in specialized nurseries. Its cultivation is gaining momentum every year. The largest nurseries for raising these animals are located in Russia, America, Canada, Denmark, and China. Depending on where the mink was raised, its fur may differ in the quality of the pile and its color. In addition, manufacturers very often dye mink in different colors, however, such fur loses its color after wearing it for a short time.
The wild mink is a very rare animal, the color of its fur is only gray-brown, with the roots always being a little lighter.
How to choose the right model
According to numerous reviews, fur products made from this animal are very popular due to their good moisture-repellent properties.
Basic colors: brown, light brown or chestnut. Judging by the photo, all options look incredibly luxurious.
Manufacturers offer several styles of fur coats:
- The classic elongated model is suitable for those who like to go out frequently. This look will impress with its flowing and shimmering pile. This is the most spectacular version of a steppe mink fur coat.
- The product, just above the knee, is suitable for girls leading an active lifestyle for everyday wear. This can be a flared version or a straight fur coat with a belt at the waist. Fits well on any figure and hides imperfections. Also, this style is universal in terms of age.
- The short model is designed for women who often use public transport or have their own car. This fur coat does not restrict movement and looks very modern. She favorably emphasizes the figure.
Long marmot fur coat
The fact that a steppe mink product consists of a large number of small skins connected to each other allows fashion designers to create different fur patterns, which also makes the image unique.
What kind of animal is this mink?
This animal is considered the king among its fur-bearing relatives. There are about 50 million of these animals in the world. The most popular are American and European minks. The body of the animal has an elongated shape and small size. It has short limbs with pronounced membranes, especially on the hind legs.
By nature they are solitary animals. The inability of these animals to run quickly and climb trees is compensated by the ability to swim and dive excellently. Their habitat is the banks of freshwater ponds overgrown with reeds, swampy lakes and small rivers. The activity of these animals occurs at night.
These predators feed on small fish, crustaceans, snails, mollusks, water rats, snakes, frogs, insects, land animals and birds. There are frequent cases of attacks by such predators on poultry.
How to care for a wild mink coat
Proper operation will help to significantly extend the service life of a fur product:
- It is important to store such outerwear, even in winter, away from heat sources.
- In case of exposure to wet snow, the product is simply placed on hangers and left to dry naturally.
- During the wearing period, do not forget to comb the fur coat once every seven days with a metal comb along and against the pile.
- During operation, avoid contact with the fur of products such as perfume or hairspray, as this will lead to damage to the product and the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
- After the end of the season, the fur product is taken to dry cleaning, even if it is not very dirty.
- To store wild mink fur coats, prepare free space in the closet. It should hang straight and not press against anything.
- Clothes made from this natural material should not be folded or bent. This will lead to the formation of creases.
- The product is placed in a special case made of dark material so that the pile does not wrinkle, the wool does not gather dust and does not fade.
- Sachets with dry lavender are hung in the wardrobe or anti-moth tablets are placed.
- In summer, the fur coat is taken out for ventilation in a dry room, but direct sunlight is avoided.
Fur products made from steppe mink look very expensive and last a long time if all recommendations are followed. To make the pile even more shiny, rub it with palms lightly moistened in glycerin. The cost of fur coats made from this wild animal is much lower than from ordinary mink, which does not affect the quality of the item.
How to distinguish fur from simple mink?
The first and main difference is the length of the hairs . While an ordinary mink has short, soft and shiny fur, available in a wide range of colors (from black with a purple tint to white, including numerous shades of brown, beige, gray-silver and blue), the fur of a wild animal has a longer and smoother pile, with fairly pronounced water-repellent properties. Its natural color is gray-brown with lighter down.
By the way ! As for wear resistance and heat-protective properties, with high-quality dressing there is no difference between the fur of a wild and specially raised animal .
Classification of mink fur
There are many types of natural mink fur. Classification is carried out depending on the habitat of the animals (wild nature or artificially created conditions), the territory of their residence, the length of the skin, the color of the guard hair and underfur. Such information is not essential when purchasing a mink coat, but without it the description of this fur would be incomplete.
Depending on the habitat (wild or artificially grown)
Animals live not only in natural conditions. Animals with valuable fur are also bred on fur farms. The owners of the rare and, accordingly, the most expensive fur are minks that live in the wild. They are characterized by long pile and rich gray-brown color. The high cost of products made from such fur is due to the fact that many of the same type of skins are required to sew it.
Animals that are raised on fur farms in China are called Chinese animals. There are also farms for breeding these animals in America and Europe. As a result of breeding activities and artificially created hybrids, about 100 shades of natural color were obtained. Thanks to this, the consumer has the opportunity to choose a fur product of almost any color. However, it is quite difficult to check the quality of a mink coat based on shades.
Area of residence (Russian, American, Chinese Scandinavian)
This category includes Russian, North American (American), Chinese and Scandinavian mink. The animals were divided into such species based on their habitat. Each of the listed varieties has not only certain features in appearance, but also varying degrees of fur quality. Taking this information into account, you will be able to choose the best quality item. Information about these types of mink is presented in the table:
Blackglama mink coat
Appearance and features
Photo: Animal mink
Mink is the closest relative of weasels, ferrets, and weasels. The natural species of the animal are European and American, but in captivity scientists have bred other varieties that have improved characteristics. Minks are small animals with an elongated body. The body is characterized by good flexibility, and its length, on average, is forty-three centimeters.
Video: Mink
These animals have a relatively small but very fluffy tail. Its length ranges from twelve to nineteen centimeters. The weight of the predator is no more than 800 grams. Thanks to these parameters, an animal in nature can penetrate various gorges, quickly hide in case of danger and easily float on the water.
The most valuable thing for a person in a mink is fur. The small predator has very beautiful, thick fur with a dense down. The down prevents the animal from getting wet even after being in the water for a long time. Another advantage of fur is its “demo seasonality”. The difference between summer and winter cover is very small. The color of the animal can be brown, light red, dark brown and even black. The color is evenly distributed, only on the stomach it may be a little lighter.
Minks have a narrow muzzle and small rounded ears. The muzzle is slightly flattened on top, and the ears have a rounded appearance and practically do not show from under the fur. The webbing between the toes is clearly visible. They are especially noticeable on the hind limbs. These animals are also characterized by the presence of a white spot. It is usually placed on the chin, but can also be placed on the chest.
