Calvin Kania and Panos Panagiotidis are on a mission to share their passion for making beautiful fur apparel and accessories, one student at a time! Their secret weapon: “Seal/Fur Workshops” at FurCanada’s headquarters on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and in First Nations and other communities across Canada.

“We realized that many designers and crafters would love to use fur in their collections, but don’t have the knowledge or fur-working skills,” says Calvin, founder and CEO of FurCanada.

Though raised on a trapline in the rugged BC interior, Calvin wasn’t a trained furrier either, so he teamed up with someone who was.

SEE ALSO: Trapline Tales: Ski doos and marten scent. By Calvin Kania for Truth About Fur.

Enter Panos, who learned the furrier’s art from his father in Kastoria, the legendary fur manufacturing village hidden away in the mountains of northern Greece. After earning his degree at Kastoria’s fur school, Panos gained invaluable practical experience working with a master furrier in Germany for eight years, before returning to teach in Kastoria in 2005.

From 2015 to 2018, Panos assisted Vasillis Kardasis, a distinguished professor at the Royal College of Art in London, England, to launch the Fur Summer School in Kastoria. With support from the International Fur Federation, international auction houses, and the Hellenic Fur Association, the Summer School provided an introduction to the full fur-production process for designers, journalists and others from around the world.

SEE ALSO: Master furrier Panos Panagiotidis to head new FurCanada workshop. Truth About Fur.

Not Only Designers Are Interested

At Calvin's invitation, Panos arrived in Canada in 2019, and in March 2020 they hosted their first Seal/Fur Workshop.

“Covid made things difficult at the start," recalls Calvin, "but we are now doing a one-week workshop every month at our atelier, with students coming from across Canada, the US, and as far away as Peru and Australia.

“Many of our students are designers, but many trappers are now also interested. Instead of selling their pelts to a fur buyer or through the auction, they have their pelts dressed by small local tanneries and are making their own fur vests, mitts, hats, and other accessories and home décor items.

“And we are taking our workshops on the road; Panos did a workshop in the Inuit community of Inuvik, NWT, last year, and he just did another in Yellowknife.”

“It was quite a shock stepping out of the airplane in Yellowknife in February," recalls Panos. "it was minus 32 Celsius!

“Cold weather but warm people! There were 16 Indigenous craftspeople in our workshop, and they were wonderful.”

"They Questioned Everything!"

The latest six-day workshop was organized by NWT Arts, a program of the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Tourism and Industry, with students flying in from surrounding communities.

“Over the six-day workshop they completed three fully-finished projects: a fur pillow, a sealskin vest, and a beaver with lynx vest,” says Panos.

“It was a pleasure working with them because they were so interested in the furrier’s techniques I showed them. And because they were already experienced sewers, they questioned everything!”

So what sort of things did they question?

“One of the first steps in working fur is to wet the pelt, stretch it out, and tack it on a board to dry," explains Panos. "This is called ‘blocking’ the pelt, and one student wanted to know why she should do that. She often made beaver mitts and had never done this.

"So, I asked, 'How much fur do you use to make a pair of mitts?' Two beaver pelts, she said. I laid her pattern out on the board to show that when the beaver was stretched and blocked, she would only need one pelt to make the same pair of mitts. When she saw how much fur and time she would save, she was convinced!

“Another student asked why she should learn to use a fur-sewing machine when she had been sewing fur by hand all her life. I told her, ‘OK, you sew a pair of mitts by hand and I will sew a pair on this machine.’ My pair was done in about 10 minutes and she worked on hers for the rest of the day. When she had finished, I said: ‘Now, look at the two pairs, what do you think?’ ‘Yours is much better, the stitches are more regular,’ she said with amazement.

“It was wonderful working with people who were so engaged and interested. They were challenging me all the time, and they really appreciated what we were bringing them: how we measure the fur we’ll need, how we cut pelts to the pattern with a furrier’s knife – all the European fur-working skills that they could marry with the traditional designs and sewing techniques they had inherited,” says Panos.

Now We Must Teach Teachers

“The workshops have been such a success that now more communities want to participate, more than Panos can do himself," says Calvin. "We will have to teach teachers who can bring this knowledge to more communities.”

Meanwhile, Panos is hitting the road again with a workshop scheduled in Sudbury, Ontario, later in April, and another with the Mi'kmaq First Nation, in Nova Scotia, in June.

“Lots of creative young people are interested," says Calvin. "We give them a taste of how they can work with fur, and they go home and practice and perfect their skills, and then they bring exciting new fur products to a new generation of consumers. It’s a whole new future for fur that’s opening up, and we are so happy to be helping it along!”

Animal activists want to drive all animal users out of business, so it pays for the fur trade to keep abreast of their latest tactics. One now being pushed hard is "vegan fashion", but what exactly is it? And how true is the hype? Does it really save animal lives, as proponents claim? And is it really more sustainable than alternatives?

First up, what qualifies as vegan fashion?

There is no strict definition, but the general idea is that no animals can be killed or harmed in any stage of its production. So it's much like a vegan diet, except that you keep it in your closet.

But there is one important difference. Vegans only eat plants, but if you think they only wear plants, think again. Vegan fashion also contains lots of synthetics made from oil.

The most popular plant fibre with vegan fashionistas (and everyone else, for that matter) is cotton, but there are a lot of other choices. Some are familiar, like linen, hemp, cork and rubber, while others are obscure, like ramie, banana leaves, mushrooms and even coffee grounds!

Then there are semi-synthetics derived from plants, like bamboo rayon, viscose from wood pulp, and modal (made from the pulp of beech trees).

And then there are all the petrochemical synthetics vegans can wear with a (supposedly) clear conscience, like polyester, spandex, nylon, PVC and acrylic. Vegans say they prefer if their synthetics are recycled, not virgin (new), but since most recycled synthetics contain some virgin product for added strength, it's hard to know if they're getting what they want.

As for materials that are off-limits, some are obvious, like leather, fur, wool and silk. But others require vigilance if they are to be avoided.

For example, the glue used in shoes and handbags normally contains collagen derived from animals. So vegans must seek out synthetic alternatives, even if there are health risks associated with making and using them.

They must also avoid screenprinting inks containing gelatin from cows and pigs. A popular synthetic alternative is plastisol, but again, vegans must look past the health risks of the phthalates usually found in plastisols.

And a minefield for vegans is buying cosmetics and personal hygiene products. Anything with honey, lanolin or keratin is out, as are soaps, shampoos, shaving cream and lotions containing stearic acid from animal fat. If your skin moisturiser contains glycerol, beware that the most common source is tallow, a rendered form of beef or mutton fat.

So Does Vegan Fashion Really Save Animals?

The main claim made for vegan fashion is that no animals are killed or harmed in its production. At first glance this sounds logical, but the claim does not stand up to scrutiny. It would be accurate to say that no animals are bred and killed to produce vegan fashion, but plenty of animals still die.

But before we start pointing fingers at who kills most animals, we need to recognise that there are different ways of counting animal lives, depending on our biasses.

In theory, we should give equal weight to all lifeforms, such that swatting a fly is equal to slaughtering a cow. In practice, though, we never do this. We prioritise, valuing some species over others.

Most of us are class-biassed (mammals trump reptiles, for example, and insects always come last). We prefer benign herbivores to carnivores that might eat us. Beautiful animals come before ugly ones. Or if you're a conservationist, an endangered native species always beats a plentiful invasive one.'

And all these biasses give rise to paradoxes that can be hard to reconcile, like self-proclaimed "animal lovers" who feed their pet dogs the meat of other animals, bathe them to kill ticks and fleas, deworm them, and give them vaccines tested on other dogs in labs.

Vegans, of course, have their biasses too, so when they say vegan fashion saves animal lives, which animals do they actually mean? All animals? No. Above all, they mean barnyard animals that are purposely bred to provide food and clothing.

If their calculations were to include all animals, would switching to vegan fashion really save lives? It's highly unlikely, and in fact the death toll would probably rise.

Killer Cotton

Now let's take a closer look at what are probably the two most common materials in vegan fashion, cotton and polyester, and ask how animal- and environment-friendly they really are.

Everybody loves wearing cotton, but we also know that growing it – especially by traditional methods – is punishing on the environment.

The trouble starts the moment natural habitat is destroyed and replaced by a monocultural plantation. Then the crop is notoriously thirsty, often requiring far more water than can be supplied by rain alone. And then there's the heavy use of pesticides. All of these factors exact a toll on animal life, as well as damaging the environment in other ways.

Much of the killing is intentional, as farmers wage war on the myriad insects that cotton attracts. Bollworms, boll weevils, mirids, aphids, stink bugs, thrips, spider mites – the list is long.

And once the insecticides have fulfilled their purpose, they don't stop killing, or even stay within the confines of the plantation. They drift on the wind, and wash into waterways. Birds, lizards and amphibians die when they eat insects or seeds that have been sprayed, or mistake insecticide granules for food. Fish die when insecticides enter rivers. Pollinators like bees die too, often resulting in lower crop yields.

Genetic modification of cotton is helping reduce the need for insecticides, but there's still a long way to go. Meanwhile, so-called organic cotton, which uses far less in the way of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, still only accounts for 1-2% of global cotton production.

Other unintentional deaths occur when water supplies are mismanaged, harming or even destroying surrounding habitat. To appreciate just how badly things can go wrong, look at Central Asia's Aral Sea – or what's left of it. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, tributaries were diverted to irrigate crops, mainly cotton, and most of the sea just vanished. Billions of animals surely died, and populations may never recover, including 20 local species of fish now thought to be extinct.

In short, if we all ditched leather, wool and fur tomorrow, and increased cotton production to fill the shortfall in clothing materials, the total number of animal lives lost would certainly rise.

Plastics Are No Better

So how about the other staple material of vegan fashion, polyester? Its credentials as a clothing material are impressive. It's cheap, durable, wrinkle-resistant, stretchy, lightweight, quick-drying, it breathes and it wicks moisture. No wonder it accounts for at least half the world's clothing, and dominates fast fashion and sportswear.

But like cotton, it's also terrible for the planet. It's made from non-renewable oil which must be extracted from the ground. The manufacturing process leaves a big carbon footprint – up to 40% of the fashion industry’s total CO₂ emissions. When washed, polyester garments release microfibres that pollute the oceans and are now turning up in the food chain, even in drinking water. Polyester is also part of the bigger problem of plastic pollution in general. A widely cited estimate is that plastic pollution kills 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, and a million seabirds, every year. And of course, these plastics don't biodegrade.

In their defense, vegan fashionistas say that a lot of the polyester they wear is recycled, which means it's actually good for the environment, "sustainable" even. But this is essentially an exercise in denial.

Recycling polyester is indeed less harmful to the environment than creating virgin polyester. It consumes a lot less energy and water, and CO₂ emissions are far lower. But that doesn't make it good – just less bad.

Furthermore, recycling polyester cannot possibly be sustainable since it is inherently dependent on a nonrenewable resource. All it does is extend the life of polyester already in circulation. Plus, limitations in current recycling technology mean that recycling polyester actually perpetuates demand for virgin polyester. Each time polyester is recycled, it loses strength, and this problem is rectified by mixing in virgin material. And when polyester is blended with other fibres (typically cotton), recycling is all but impossible. Last but by no means least, just like virgin polyester, recycled polyester still sheds microfibres and does not biodegrade.

SEE ALSO: The Great Fur Burial, Part 1: Burial. Truth About Fur.

Accusations of Greenwashing

Just to confuse consumers even more, companies producing and using petrochemical-based synthetics now routinely face accusations of greenwashing – making false claims about the environmental friendliness of their products.

It comes as no surprise when animal activists engage in greenwashing, since they have never let the truth get in the way of a good story. So if they tell you wearing recycled soda bottles will reduce global warming, you can believe it or not.

More troubling are apparent efforts by the fast-fashion industry to improve its public image. Having faced a storm of criticism in recent years for various practices, the industry is now desperate for a makeover, which includes casting petrochemical synthetics in a better light.

But now the media, consumer protection groups, and others are asking tough questions.

Matters came to a head last June, when the New York Times ran an in-depth article entitled "How fashion giants recast plastic as good for the planet". Renaming products is just one way, the article says. For example, fake leather used to be called "pleather", a clear indicator of its plastic origins, typically polyurethane. But now it's called "vegan leather", a change the NYT calls "a marketing masterstroke meant to suggest environmental value."

In critics' crosshairs is the controversial Higg Index, launched in 2012 by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a nonprofit group that includes major fashion brands and retailers, and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Intended to rate the environmental impact of various fabrics used in clothing, the Index "is on its way to becoming a de facto global standard," says the NYT.

But hold on, the article continues. The Index "strongly favors synthetic materials made from fossil fuels over natural ones such as cotton, wool and leather. Now, those ratings are coming under fire from independent experts as well as representatives from natural-fiber industries who say the Higg Index is being used to portray the increasing use of synthetics as environmentally desirable despite questions over synthetics’ environmental toll."

In particular, critics say the Index doesn't accurately reflect the full life-cycles of synthetics, including harmful emissions during production, how much ends up in landfills or incinerators, and microfibres polluting the oceans.

Shortly after, the SAC announced that it was pausing the use of consumer-facing Higgs labels globally, following a conclusion by the Norwegian Consumer Authority that the Higg Index was misleading consumers.

Bottom Line

While the debate will continue to rage about how best to clothe 8 billion humans, the simple truth is that all currently available alternatives have their downsides. They all result, directly or indirectly, in the deaths of animals, and leave environmental footprints of varying size.

But since the two major claims being made for vegan fashion are simple, let's try to answer them in simple terms:

Does vegan fashion save animal lives? If enough people were to wear vegan fashion, and especially if they were to adopt a vegan diet too, fewer barnyard animals would be bred. So in that sense, yes, vegan fashion has the potential to save the lives of domesticated species like cows, pigs and sheep. But if all animal lives are given equal weight (i.e., a snake or boll weevil is equal to a cow), this saving would be more than offset by the loss of animal life caused by converting more land to plant agriculture.

As for petrochemical synthetics like polyester, it is now universally recognised that their usage is harmful to the environment, including wildlife. So even if your polyester blouse is made from recycled soda bottles, it may slow the production of virgin polyester, but in the long term it offers nothing in the way of a solution.

Is vegan fashion more sustainable than alternative choices? There is almost no basis for this claim, as vegan fashion currently exists.

Noble efforts make the headlines regularly as innovative companies strive to develop more sustainable materials and methods of producing them. But we're not there yet. Which means that vegan fashion will continue to rely on crops like cotton, which are harmful to the environment, and petrochemical plastics like polyester, which are not only harmful but also the antithesis of sustainable.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

The proposed fur ban in Rhode Island has been defeated. The bill, HB7361/SB246, which, if passed, would have banned the retail sale of fur, was defeated last week when the Rhode Island legislature convened.

Even in light of the industry being outspent by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Humane Society and other groups, as well as a digital campaign and the overwhelming support the bill received in the house, it was not enough to get the bill passed.

SEE ALSO: US legislators should be promoting natural fur, not seeking to ban it. Truth About Fur.

Dino Quaglietta of Northeast Furs, a local retailer in Warwick, has been engaged in fighting the ban since it was first proposed. Upon learning of the ban’s defeat, Quaglietta said, “It’s great that we won, for sure! It was a hard-fought battle. Good news for Rhode Island, but outside of the industry, who knows about this?

“The industry needs to band together and get on the offensive. We need a spokesperson to get the word out to the public, not just talk to ourselves. We must convey all the positives of fur and show the public that animal welfare includes all animals and point to the hypocrisy of this movement; that putting on a fur coat is no different than putting on a pair of shoes.

“The industry has had so much negative press, we must do damage control to get to the minds of our customers. This is a quintessential freedom of choice issue. This bill will come up again next year when we’ll have to fight it again. At least we got through this year.”

The International Fur Federation-Americas, who spearheaded the fight, will continue to be engaged in Rhode Island with the unwavering support of Quaglietta and Northeast Furs.

Similar bills have been defeated in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York – in both the House and the Senate.

SEE ALSO: “Fur Fights Back!” It’s time for a strong industry communications campaign. Truth About Fur.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Like most writers, those of us in public relations are prone to vanity. If we can choose between having an op-ed piece in a prestigious newspaper or a column in the local supermarket rag, we choose the former, even if it means far fewer people see our work. So is our professional pride causing us to ignore the power of low-brow publications to change hearts and minds? In particular, should the fur trade be taking the UK tabloids more seriously?

The UK Is a special case for a few reasons, notably:

• Everyone speaks English. There’s no denying the impact of the English language in shaping any debate of international concern, including the fur debate. By all means publish in Russian or Portuguese, but don’t expect a global audience.

• The entire UK is a little smaller than the state of Michigan, so many print tabloids (and of course their affiliated websites) have national circulations. Indeed, two in particular, the Mirror and the Sun, are said to carry more weight in national elections than esteemed broadsheets like the Telegraph and the Guardian.

• The UK is the spiritual home of the animal rights movement. When it comes to activists making life hard for animal industries, only Californians come close.

SEE ALSO: Brexit, fur-trimmed parkas, and trendy vegans in London Town. Truth About Fur.

Check Out the Boots!

Enter the Daily Mail, the country’s most notorious tabloid since the News of the World was forced to close a decade ago. On May 23, the Mail ran a piece on two huge fans of fur, Judi Caldwell and partner Lukasz Dlubek from Northern Ireland, while commissioning Mercury Press to take lots of lovely photos. (We all like photos, but for the tabloids, they are essential, and the more provocative the better. Conveniently, Lukasz looks like a cross between Conor McGregor and a member of Ukraine’s Azov regiment. One look at his boots would send most Russian soldiers running!)

This article was not standard Mail fare, but not unprecedented either. Typically, Mail pieces on fur are negative, and for the last several years have involved recycling old photos from a Scandinavian fox farm, with regurgitated sound bites from animal rights leaders implying they have just concluded an “investigation”.

Sometimes, though, the thoroughly unprincipled Mail will change tack on an issue completely, just to keep readers on their toes. This time it chose to tell us that some people – well, these two anyway – think fur is great.

The headline (if this can be called a “headline”) literally says it all: “Couple who love the ‘classy’ feel of wearing real fur claim they have ‘higher morals’ than the vegans who send them death threats online because it’s more sustainable than fake fabrics.”

Then for good measure, the body reiterates the main points: “The pair believe that not only does wearing real fur make them look incredible, but they also say that it is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than faux alternatives and a lot of vegan products.”

Says Lukasz (of the scary boots): “Real fur lasts for so much longer when it’s cared for correctly whereas fake fur is fast fashion – what do they think happens to all the plastic that is used to make it!”

Judi drives the message home: “Nowadays, there is a lot of ‘green washing’ and a big emphasis on veganism and vegetarianism. We are trying to promote sustainable fashion by wearing fur, but people are quick to jump online and judge us.”

SEE ALSO: Fur is a sustainable natural resource. Truth About Fur.

The point about sustainability is well made, of course, and especially pertinent in the UK where the absurd notion is widely accepted that “vegan fashion” (including clothes and shoes made from plastic) is, almost by definition, more “sustainable” than anything which involves the direct killing of animals.

But as anyone familiar with the Mail knows, it is not in the business of educating people. It just wants outraged readers to go, “Whoa! That’s crazy!” – then share the piece widely and hopefully click on some ads. (If you find this interpretation too cynical, another headline used for the same article by an Indian website tells us exactly what we’re supposed to think: “Bizarre: Couple who wear real fur say they are ‘more sustainable’ than vegans; leaves netizens confused.”)

Then the Mail throws more fuel on the fire by having Judi suggest vegans are psychopaths. “The hate we receive from a lot of vegans online is appalling,” she says, “and I’ve even had messages from someone who was threatening to slit mine and my dog’s throat because we wear fur.”

Incredible Reach

Since money is the only reason the Mail publishes such stories, and almost no one reads the comments that follow, it makes no sense for the fur trade to bother responding. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to get in the game. The reach of these stories is potentially enormous, and frequently far greater than anything published by a reputable media company.

For starters, big UK tabloids like the Mail belong to larger media groups with a slew of other outlets, both in print and on the web, including every popular social media platform. The Mail comes under the umbrella of DMG Media, whose stable includes Metro.co.uk, a tabloid website that also ran a pared-down version of the Judi and Lukasz story. And though we have not confirmed this, it seems highly likely that the story also ran in the print version of Metro. This is the UK’s largest-circulation tabloid (though the fact it’s free must help).

Then there’s life beyond DMG Media. Within days of the Mail publishing its story, it popped up on News India Studio, WST Post, Unilad, Granthshala News, News Dubai, and an ominous-sounding site called Internet Cloning. And these were just the links near the top of our Google search.

Only through serious research could we know which of these recyclers are legitimate and which are simply plagiarists. But that’s the problem of DMG Media’s licensing department.

The fact is, though, that the stuff of UK tabloids is perfect fodder for today’s legions of ad-driven websites employing underpaid rewriters to push trending news stories. In short, a shoddily written story, with no redeeming qualities other than a catchy headline and provocative photos, can reach far more hearts and minds than an op-ed piece in a prestigious broadsheet ever can.

The fur trade has always tried to take the high road when it comes to public relations materials. But maybe we should be taking the low road too. Everyone else is.

***

If you have a story that you think would be good fodder for the UK tabloids, send it our way and we’ll see if we can get an editor to take the bait! It needs to promote the message that fur is sustainable, and don’t forget the pics. But other than that, anything goes!

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Jane Avery is a couture designer from Dunedin, New Zealand, known for her bespoke garments combining exotic fabrics with wild rabbit fur. Her label is Lapin (French for rabbit), and her ethos is “eco-couture”, reflecting the fact that rabbits are a major pest in her part of the world. Now she has launched a new label, Lapin ReVintage, which is all about repairing, restyling and repurposing vintage fur. Since so little has been written about this niche market, Truth About Fur set out to learn more.

SEE ALSO: New Zealand designer embraces wild rabbit “eco-fur”. Truth About Fur.

Truth About Fur: Are Lapin and ReVintage two separate lines, or do they dovetail together?

Jane Avery: They are both meaningful to me in their own ways, but they sit comfortably together. For example, when I receive a ReVintage commission, I may be repairing the garment in its original form, or I may be taking parts of the fur and incorporating them into a new Lapin ReVintage design. There’s enough fur in a vintage cape or stole to make a collar and cuffs for a coat of merino wool, Indian silk or another beautiful textile.

Prolonging the life of any garment is good for the environment, just as using the fur of pests is. So it’s all “eco-couture”.

TAF: Bloggers say that recycling old furs took off in the first Covid-19 lockdown, when we all decided to clean out our wardrobes. But now all our wardrobes are clean, so is it a passing trend?

JA: No, it’s more than a trend. It’s part of a groundswell of people wanting lifestyles that are kinder to our planet. That started before Covid and will outlast it too.

People have various reasons to extend the lives of vintage furs, not always related to lifestyle. Of course they appreciate the beauty, resilience and warmth of fur, and a vintage piece can be a great reminder of its original owner, perhaps a beloved grandmother. But there are other motivations that reflect our changing attitudes towards the planet.

Seeking sustainability is one. We are increasingly rejecting wasteful consumerism, and that includes “fast fashion”. We want to buy fewer clothes, better quality, and make them last. The “Three R’s” – repair, restyle, and repurpose – are part of this, and are in vogue!

SEE ALSO: The sustainability of fur. Truth About Fur.

Another motivation concerns the morality of taking animal life for food and clothing. Some people, for example, consider it abhorrent to farm new fur, but hate to waste the fur of an animal that’s already died. I see something similar working with wild rabbit fur; some people won’t wear farmed mink, but are happy to wear the fur of pests that are being eradicated anyway.

And some people, like me, have a cultural motivation. Every vintage fur that lands on my work bench has a story, and is its own tutorial on garment construction. As I dismantle it, it reveals secrets of the furrier’s craft, honed over hundreds of years. So we are driven to preserve the craftsmanship that goes into working with fur.

TAF: So is there such a thing as a typical ReVintage customer?

JA: Perhaps the most common motivation of customers is wanting to display an heirloom fur they received from their mother or grandmother. They may want to wear it or repurpose it as a couch throw or cushions, but the important thing is to feel connected to a loved one. For these people, it’s all about remembrance and emotion.

But that’s not always the case. For example, a man brought in a pristine, full-length ranch mink coat he’d picked up at an estate sale for $150, and wanted it turned into a couch throw. It was a beautiful flared coat with very skilful stranding work extending from neck to mid-calf, and a lady’s name sewn into the silk lining. The hems were full of sawdust, a sign it had been drum-cleaned, and judging by the perfect condition, temperature-stored. A part of me felt mortified to be carving into this work of art, but unless it went to a museum or couture collector, it had outlived its usefulness as a coat. Sadly this is the fate of some vintage furs these days. But the throw I made from it was gorgeous, so I hope it’s being enjoyed!

TAF: What problems do you face most when working with vintage furs?

JA: New or old, fur is a forgiving material. New fur can be deftly manipulated if there is damage or there’s a mistake during the making process. And if you find a disaster zone in an old fur, it usually just requires a bit more negotiation.

Plus, fur garments are built to last, so most vintage furs are perfectly useable, even after spending decades in the back of a wardrobe.

But of course they do get damaged, and a common problem is tearing, either along stitched seams or in the general skin area. Some tears are nice, straight lines, while others are messy affairs going in several directions. How to deal with them depends on the condition of the skin. It may be hard and brittle, or soft and disintegrating.

Separated seams are the other common damage. When possible, I’ll stitch them back up by machine, but sometimes the needle perforations just create a new line that tears readily. Then it’s out with the needle and thread, pulling the edges gently together with big stitches, and then sports tape, which is made to stick to skin, after all.

When I return a coat to its owner, it may appear like I’ve worked a little magic. But perhaps – and this is a last resort! – I just pinched a bit of fur from an unseen part of the coat and literally pasted it with fabric glue onto a disintegrated section that’s been reinforced from behind. It’s a methodical and intuitive process that involves judgement, an experienced eye, and a certain amount of chutzpah.

TAF: So can all furs be saved?

JA: If a coat is shedding badly, there’s not much that can be done. So now and then I have to tell a customer they’re dreaming, and all we can do is turn the best bits into cushions. But my motto is “work with what’s in front of you”, so I rarely turn a job down. If a person is emotionally attached to a fur, then it’s worth restoring or repurposing as best I can.

That said, I sometimes restore a coat and return it with strict instructions on how to wear it. Sit and stand in it nicely, I say, and do not wear it while driving or lounging on the sofa!

TAF: How about the different fur types you commonly see? Are some easier to work with than others?

JA: I see a lot of vintage rabbit since it was so popular here in the past, often cut and dyed to mimic other fur types. Old rabbit skin is surely not the most robust and is frequently delicate, but it can still be beautifully supple and suitable for machine-stitching. I’ll probably tape the repaired seams and some of the original ones for safety, and instruct the owner to “handle gently”.

Muskrat fur was also popular before, but it doesn’t survive the years well. It’s very likely to be brittle and ripping, and only salvageable with hand-stitching and tape.

Vintage mink skin is often in very good condition and easy to handle, but fox can be very thin and rips easily.

I’ve also worked with vintage chinchilla rabbit, fitch, weasel, marten and possum, but perhaps my favourite were three gorgeous coats, over 70 years old, that I think were Siberian flying squirrel. They were delicate in places, but the skin was supple and the lustrous fur all intact.

TAF: How about the future? You describe interest in recycling vintage fur as part of a “groundswell”. So can we expect growth?

JA: For clothing in general, the “Three R’s” – repair, restyle, and repurpose – are already growing fast as part of a shift to more sustainable living. But in New Zealand at least, using fur for clothing is just a small part of this. It’s not cold enough, plus the anti-fur lobby has been quite effective. There’s only a small market here now. The last traditional furrier in the entire country, and my teachers, Mooneys Furs of Dunedin (est. 1912), closed in 2020. As a result, craftspeople skilled in working with vintage fur coats are now a rare breed. As one of those rare artisans, I encourage anyone to ReVintage their furs. The results are very satisfying.

In colder countries, where fur is a way of life and there’s a steady supply of vintage materials to work with, the outcome could be very different. If you have the skills, setting up as a recycler of vintage furs could be a really good business opportunity!

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

As CEO of FurCanada I am thrilled to announce that our very own master furrier and production manager Panagiotis “Panos” Panagiotidis is running a new series of workshops for aspiring designers at our facilities in Nanaimo, BC. Panos has teaching credentials from the Fur School of Kastoria, Greece, and three decades of experience in the fur trade, in Europe and now here in Canada. He is knowledgeable and resourceful, and his skills are beyond measure.

Before I talk about our new workshops, let me tell you about my journey with Panos. It all started In early 2014 when I contacted Professor Pia Blomström of the Centria University of Applied Sciences in Pietarsaari, Finland. She was teaching a wide-range of world-class degrees and workshops designed to further the knowledge and understanding of fur designers and furriers from around the world.

Later that year my partner and I flew to Helsinki to attend a sale by Fur Harvesters Auction held in conjunction with Saga Furs. After the auction concluded, we took the train to northern Finland to meet Pia. We toured the university and fur workshop, and met some of the students and even the mayor. My reasons for meeting with Pia were twofold: to gain knowledge on running workshops, and to seek out one of her students to join us in Canada as a furrier. Our then long-time furrier from Vancouver, Achilles Michoulous, was wanting to retire soon, so I needed to act quickly and find a replacement.

“Is This a Joke?”

After trying unsuccessfully to attract one of her former students, Pia called her good friend at the Royal College of Art in London, Professor Vasilis Kardasis. “There’s this guy,” she explained, meaning me, “who is seeking a furrier to join his team in Western Canada. But he doesn’t manufacture garments. All fur companies produce garments, but not this guy! His main lines are home decor and taxidermy.”

The good professor told her, “Pia, I have the right person for Calvin. I’ll call you in a few days and let you know the results.” The person he had in mind, of course, was Panos, with whom he had created, produced and taught the Greek Summer Fur School program for seven successful years.

Well those “few days” turned into a month or so, because when Vasilis first called Panos, it didn’t go quite as expected! Vasilis thought this position in Canada would be a good opportunity for Panos and his family. But Panos just started to laugh and continued laughing for the next five days! “Is this a joke?” he asked Vasilis. “A trick question? Are you drunk? What’s wrong with this Calvin guy? Doesn’t he know how to advertise for a furrier in Canada? There’s a furrier on every street corner in Canada. Canada is the fur trade!“

But that was only half the joke.

Eventually Panos arrived in Nanaimo to join our team, and for his first two years we hired an apprentice to assist him. The apprentice was shaping up so well, with talent and attention to detail, that Panos wanted to send her to the Summer Fur School in Greece. So he called the powers that be in Europe to discuss the process of sending a young lady as an apprentice furrier to the school. Needless to say, they were shocked by the request and asked Panos if this was a joke! Canada had not produced a furrier in decades, we were told.

It’s not strictly true that Canada has not produced a furrier in decades, but it’s not far wrong. So that’s the whole joke, and it could make a blog post all on its own!

Ultimate Goal

Since Panos arrived in Nanaimo in 2019, we’ve embarked upon producing our 10-day Learning Hub of Education & Design School in conjunction with West Coast Indigenous First Nations, and now we have our new five-day workshop.

We’ve always kept Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo in the loop on our various programs, as they requested, as our ultimate goal is to produce a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree majoring in fur, located in British Columbia.

Young fur students can then take their degrees and become furriers, fur designers, or marketers of fur products, and take their knowledge and love of fur back to their home communities in rural or urban Canada. They can introduce fur to their friends, family and the general public, one person at a time.

We believe this is an important part of ensuring the future health of Canada’s fur trade. For several decades now, many of us – myself and FurCanada included – have been so busy chasing export sales that we’ve forgotten to pay attention to our domestic market. Our workshops are one of many stepping stones for students to learn how to work with fur and then, hopefully, convince the Canadian public to continue buying home-grown fur products.

Our New Workshop

So here’s what we’re offering in our new workshops:

• Program period: October 2021 to April 2022.
• Duration of each workshop: Five days.
• Class sizes: There are a minimum of three students per class, and a maximum of seven.
• Levels: Students are divided into three skill levels from novice to expert, with no mixing of levels. To help us pick the appropriate level, participants first fill out a questionnaire about their current level of knowledge and skills.
• Skills to be taught include: Treating furs before they can be used, grading, pattern making, cutting with a furrier’s knife, opening skins, repairing damaged skins, blocking, sewing by machine and by hand, and caring for and cleaning the final product.
• Skin types: Students will work with seal, beaver, fox, wild mink, Canadian sable (marten), bobcat and lynx.
• Covid-19 protocols: All participants must be fully vaccinated. Social distancing and other safety protocols are observed.
• Cost: A course costs 892 CAD inclusive of tax, with a 200 CAD deposit due at registration time and the balance payable on arrival. Refreshments and all fur supplies are covered, but accommodation and travel are at the participants’ expense.

If you would like to learn more about our new five-day workshops studying under master furrier Panos Panagiotidis, please visit FurCanada’s website.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Animal welfare and sustainability are both commendable goals for any company’s strategic plan, but they’re also like chalk and cheese. They’re unrelated, which means you don’t advance one by advancing the other. Yet these days, whenever a designer, brand or retailer announces it is dropping fur supposedly for animal welfare reasons, it also claims this will make it more sustainable. This is totally illogical, and they must be called out for it.

Worse still, the deceit appears to be intentional, not just the result of lazy thinking. In a conscious and cynical bid to associate themselves with two of the hottest buzzwords in marketing today, companies are pitching the message, “We believe in animal welfare and sustainability, so we won’t be using furry animals anymore. (Just don’t ask about all the other ones.)”

So why should the fur trade cry “Foul”? Because sustainability is the strongest argument in favour of fur, and we need to defend it against misuse. Now the debate is being twisted and co-opted to make it appear that fur is the very opposite of sustainable.

First let’s look at sustainability and animal welfare separately, and then see how some sneaky companies pretend they are related.

Sustainability Is One Thing …

Just about every business today claims to be striving for greater sustainability, and with good reason. Not only is it good for the planet, it also sells! It’s something customers want to hear. So even if your business is not sustainable today, at least say you are trying, and promise some vague delivery date like 2030.

For a few lucky industries, including the fur trade, sustainability has already been achieved. Historically, it wasn’t always the case, as some wild species were over-harvested. But with the advent of fur farming and a raft of regulations covering harvest sizes and trade, the modern industry has become a model of sustainability.

Here are its main credentials:

• Furbearers, whether trapped or farmed, are a renewable natural resource.
• No endangered species are used.
• Fur farming provides extra protection for wildlife as production can be adjusted to meet changing demand. (This is true for all livestock farming.)
• Farmed furbearers consume leftovers from the production of human food.
• Trappers provide vital information and assistance to wildlife managers.
• Fur is fully biodegradable, even after processing, no matter what animal rights groups claim.
• A fur garment can last for decades, or be restyled as fashions change. It is the complete opposite of wasteful “fast fashion”.

These credentials look even stronger when you compare real fur to fake fur made from non-biodegradable, non-renewable oil.

… Animal Welfare Is Another

Animal welfare is a different issue entirely. While sustainability is concerned with quantifiable inputs such as reproduction rates and environmental impacts, animal welfare deals with the quality of life and death of the animals we use.

It’s difficult to explain in logical terms how companies bundle animal welfare and sustainability together, because the “logic” they employ is false. They first present an erroneous argument, hope we don’t notice, and then use this argument to justify their business strategy. It’s like saying, “2 + 2 obviously equals 5, we can all agree on that. So now let’s focus on that number 5.”

The false logic they want us to fall for is typically along the following lines. “Treating animals well will result in a kinder and gentler world, which we all want to live in. That world must also be sustainable. Therefore, being kinder to animals is integral to ensuring the future sustainability of our planet. And since it’s impossible to achieve an acceptable level of welfare in the fur trade, the most sustainable option is not to use fur at all.”

QED: Fur is unsustainable.

And when you’ve finished wrestling with the twisted logic, take special note that companies are using it only to justify dropping fur. Not leather. Or feathers. Or any other animal products. For these, it’s business as usual. In other words, the level of animal welfare in producing crocodile handbags or goose down is acceptable, and therefore these products are sustainable. What?

Case Studies

Now let’s look at three real-life examples of fashion companies that have dropped fur, and see the knots they tie themselves in to justify it.

Gucci: In 2017, CEO Marco Bizzarri shocked the fashion world by announcing that his company would be dropping fur. He also announced that Gucci had signed on to the Fur Free Retailer program of the Fur Free Alliance, a group that, in its own words, wants to end the fur trade by “raising the serious animal welfare issues related to fur farming and trapping.” The Alliance expresses no interest whatsoever in promoting sustainability. But still, Bizzarri described Gucci’s move as demonstrating “our absolute commitment to making sustainability an intrinsic part of our business.”

The remarkable thing was that only the fur trade challenged Bizzarri to explain how jumping in bed with an animal rights group and dropping fur would make Gucci more sustainable. The media were all over the dropping fur part, but not one journalist questioned the logic. Why was real fur unsustainable? Was fake fur more sustainable? And why was Gucci not dropping leather, exotic skins and feathers too?

So in one fell swoop, Bizzarri framed Gucci as loving both animals and the planet, and he got away with it.

Nothing has changed since either. If you want to know more about Gucci’s stance on animal welfare, the go-to document is titled – wait for it – Gucci Sustainability Principles! This 21-page document on sustainability refers to animal welfare no fewer than 40 times. And there are three whole pages devoted to the “Kering Animal Welfare Standards” (Kering being Gucci’s parent). Why these in-house, self-serving animal welfare standards belong in a document on “sustainability principles” is not explained, but clearly we are supposed to accept that animal welfare is an integral part of sustainability.

Canada Goose: Known for its iconic performance parkas with coyote trim, Canada Goose is now in a tricky spot PR-wise, largely of its own making. For decades, it was a strong advocate of fur as a sustainable natural resource – an industry leader, in fact. Indeed, a page still on its website but that will presumably disappear soon, states: “We remain committed to the functionality and sustainability of real fur.” Then last June it announced that it was dropping fur.

Observers were in no doubt that this was a response to relentless pressure from animal rights groups, but CEO and president Dani Reiss wasn’t about to admit this. Instead he dug himself a hole, saying, “This decision was driven by our commitment to sustainability …”

So the official line is that Canada Goose is dropping fur voluntarily, as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, and you can believe that if you want. But the really tricky part is that it can’t actually say fur is unsustainable, because it’s been saying the polar opposite for years. Which leaves us in the odd position of having to turn off our brains and accept that while fur is sustainable, “fur-free” is more sustainable.

And here’s what it looks like in practice:

This new page on the Canada Goose website sports the headline, “We’re going fur-free”, unquestionably an animal rights slogan with no connection to sustainability. But the subhead reads, “Our desire to evolve into a more sustainable brand continues.” No matter what explanation Canada Goose may have for this, it is impossible for a visitor to this webpage not to connect these two ideas. The message, intentional or not, is clear: Canada Goose is going fur-free BECAUSE it is more sustainable.

Mytheresa: And this quote says it all – no further explanation required. This August 26, the Munich-based luxury retailer announced it would not sell fur beyond 2022. Said CEO Michael Kliger, “At Mytheresa, we believe that sustainability is an important part of our future strategy, and this view is clearly shared by our customers, partners and employees. As we already stopped buying exotic skins in spring 2021, it was clear that going fur-free is the natural next step for Mytheresa. We are proud to be making this change and thank the Humane Society of the United States, Four Paws and the Fur Free Alliance for supporting this policy.”

Each company that drops fur will claim slightly different reasons for equating animal welfare with sustainability, but it always boils down to placing them in the best possible light for consumers. And it looks doubly great if you can check two boxes at the same time!

But it’s all nonsense. Animal welfare and sustainability have as much in common with each other as chalk and cheese. It’s also damaging to businesses that really are sustainable, like the fur trade. And that’s why companies that practice this deception should be called out.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

I’ve loved fur clothing since I was a little girl, as well as animals. I was very lucky because my parents indulged me in this. Growing up, I lived in towns or cities, but was allowed to nurse baby birds in my bedroom and bring home tadpoles to mature into frogs.

They also bought me a real fur hat, collar and muff for Christmas when I was six! These fur pieces were white with little black “tail” trim, but I’m quite sure they were rabbit, dressed up to look like ermine. They wouldn’t have been able to afford ermine, even if it had been available.

By the time I was a teenager, I’d graduated to raccoon. I had a red wool coat with a raccoon collar! When I grew out of that coat, I took off the collar, and with my mother’s help, turned it into a bonnet-type hat that I wore for a few more years. My mother had a mink boa and my grandmother a neckpiece made from three martens, complete with heads and tails, both of which I still cherish. (I’ve been known to wear the mink boa, but not the marten piece.)

I wish more kids today had these same opportunities! There are still some rabbit-lined kids’ hats around but mostly there is fake fur, or no fur. However, Canadian kids often do have rabbit-trimmed moccasin slippers at least, and many young women wear rabbit-trimmed mukluks. But how easy is it for them to “graduate” to raccoon or beaver or coyote? Thanks to the wide availability of parkas, a hood with a natural coyote ruff can be purchased in most Canadian cities today. But sadly most ruffs are fake fur, which doesn’t hold up well, and isn’t providing the warmth of a natural fur ruff.

SEE ALSO: Why fur trim keeps us warm. Truth About Fur.

The availability of other clothing trimmed with natural fur has been minimal for several years, outside of some large Canadian cities that still have wonderful fur salons. But in the last five to ten years the fashion industry has begun to show fur accessories more. A few designers have models wearing trapper-type hats, made entirely of coyote fur. Natural fur has also shown up on purses and even shoes (not just boots). More local artisans have begun to make fur trapper hats and large mitts or gauntlets that are popular with the snowmobile crowd.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy fur. Fur Council of Canada.

Other Canadian artisans have been making fur ruffs, collars, hats, etc. using wild fur for some time. For the past six years, I’ve been one of those artisans, but making fur-trimmed accessories, rather than full fur apparel.  I wanted the items I create to have a modern look and to be interesting, but also to be affordable.

Wearing fur accessories is possible for many more people than wearing a fur coat, warm and beautiful as they are. Availability and affordability to more Canadians may mean that wearing fur becomes more popular again. I think this is especially true for young kids and teens. Even having a toy with natural fur can make a child want more natural fur items later, I think. So I make a few toys too!

Learning As Much As Possible

When I embarked on what was meant to become my retirement hobby, I decided it was important that I learn as much about fur as possible, from trapping through to garment making. The Saskatchewan Trappers Association holds many courses for new trappers and I was fortunate to take one given by association president Wrangler Hamm in November 2014. He covered the basics about humane trapping, and there were demos on skinning and boarding a coyote and muskrat as well as the preparation of a beaver. But he also included a bit about sending pelts for tanning and having hats or mittens made from them as an additional way to add value to trapping. I hope that’s a part of all the trapper courses.

My love of animals led me to a professional career studying them. It also helped me bond with my husband who is a wildlife biologist. Although my own career has primarily dealt with the genetics of domestic animals, such as cattle and dogs, in the later years my research has included some dog ancestors – wolves and coyotes. That allowed me the chance to get “behind the scenes” at a fur auction. Trapper and trader friends and acquaintances had been supplying my samples of coyotes and wolves for several years, but I reached a point in my research where I needed many wolf samples in a variety of coat colors. Dave Bewick, long-time manager of the Winnipeg office of North American Fur Auctions, invited me to a sale in Toronto in February 2014 to make that possible. I could not believe how many beautiful pelts were there, when I arrived on the first day of the sale. I think I decided that day that I had to be able to “work with” such pelts more, but just how that could happen took several more months of planning.

I ordered some tanned fur online and purchased a few pelts from booths at local trade shows, initially. Although now I try to make an annual trip to Winnipeg, to source my year’s garment-tanned wild fur supply. During my first visit, Matthew Stepien of the family-run International Fur Dressers and Dyers, gave me a lesson in wild fur buying that was fantastic, and has continued to help me find the quality furs I’m looking for.

I also ordered a used fur sewing machine from Montreal. The salesperson kept asking me who was going to teach me how to operate it. All the furriers in Saskatchewan had passed away. Having sewn most of my own clothes, including coats, since I was a teenager, I didn’t see this as a problem. Boy was I wrong! A fur sewing machine operates entirely differently than a normal sewing machine used to sew cloth, or even a heavier leather sewing machine. A fur sewing machine needle is horizontal and comes toward you as you sew. The fur is fed from beneath the working surface. But I persisted and read what I could and watched YouTube videos, and gradually I was able to sew most of the fur I had purchased, except the beaver. I still sew beaver by hand, as do many other artisans.

Lighting Up Faces

Sewing with natural fur has become something I truly enjoy. And I’ve been very lucky because there seems to be a group of people that enjoy wearing what I make! I’ve had booths at several juried craft shows around Saskatoon in the past five years, before Covid hit.

One of the bonuses of being at a craft fair is the joy of watching so many people’s faces light up when they try on a fur-trimmed hat, even if they don’t buy it. A fellow artisan told me that mine was the “happy booth”. She said she often looked across the aisle and people were smiling, laughing, taking selfies, etc. as they chose a fur hat to try on.

Another plus for being at a craft fair is the instant feedback you get from people about what they like and what fits and what doesn’t. For a person who is a “new” artisan, this is very valuable. The younger the person, the more unusual the item they seem to choose! I was so glad to see teenagers and university students buying fur-trimmed items.

I’ve chosen Wear Our Heritage as my brand name because I want people to wear fur clothing and be proud of our Canadian fur heritage!

I try to give young kids a small item with fur, when they visit my booth with their Mom or Grandad. Or I invite them to try on and play with the hand puppets.

The local “fair” or Exhibition in Saskatoon doesn’t have booths with baked goods or jams any more, but it does have the Saskatchewan Art Showcase that includes photography, painting, and crafts divisions. I try to submit the allowed three items each year, as another way to get natural fur in the public eye.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Late last year, the Fur Council of Canada launched the inaugural Fur Design Competition for young designers residing in Canada, and in February the 12 winners were announced. These talented youngsters will shortly be attending a week-long, all-inclusive workshop hosted at Ryerson University in Toronto, under the expert tutelage of designer Farley Chatto.

So what inspires these fledgling designers? Truth About Fur fired the same three questions at each to see what we could learn. Maybe their answers will, in turn, inspire entrants in next year's competition, who should also read our post Insider Tips from Fur Competition Judges.

Raven Scott

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an innovative artist who always tries to put my culture forward in every design that I make. In this way I make every garment that I design personal to me, no matter what the project is.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love design because it tells a story and helps bring out a person’s character. Whether it be your mood for the day or your overall aesthetic, how we dress is an expression, and it's amazing to see how different we all are when expressing ourselves.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I always like to try new things, and before this competition, I have never worked with fur, nor have I ever designed a fur garment. But I was up for the challenge, and the outcome was more than amazing.

Chelsey Jussaume

Who are you in terms of design?

I design feminine clothing for all people who desire to stand out.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fashion has a way of communicating who I am without having to speak. Authenticity and sustainability are at the heart of my designs. I create pieces focusing on garment structure and material manipulation, with the goal of conveying emotion. I often use fur to add uniqueness to a garment, and because it can be recycled many times.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I entered the contest wanting to challenge myself to create ready-to-wear garments that would please many people while using fur in unconventional ways. To me, natural materials are one of the many solutions to tackle the fashion industry’s climate impact. As a young designer, I acknowledge my responsibility to create clothing that is long-lasting, of good quality and easily upcycled.

Vincent Domingo

Who are you in terms of design?

In terms of design, I am more into haute couture designs where manipulations, embroideries and embellishments are my kind of detailed finishing.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Everything around us can be an inspiration in creating our own designs, and that’s what I love about designing. It brings out the beauty in everything and I think the fur itself will give an extra detail to our designs.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I joined the Fur Design Competition because I want to explore things about fur. I think it has a lot of things to offer, not just about designs but on how to create pieces into it from illustration to construction.

Etienne Levi

Who are you in terms of design?

Futurism, avant-garde, exoticism, empowerment and seduction usually inspire my designs.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fashion and design in general always reflected the Zeitgeist. Through time, designers of the world have shown their culture through their own hands and eyes. I believe that we are now living in a world that is finally focusing on its problematics. There is now a bright light shining on our over-consuming habits and their effects on nature. I believe as an aspiring designer that it is finally time to understand the ravaging effects of massive production and start to slow down. Future Fashion needs to be more ecofriendly, more valuable, and more inclusive. Fur is an amazing material to achieve these goals.

Furthermore, one can always work with old fur to regenerate another completely different product. There is no waste because it is possible to work with leftovers to create jewelry, accessories or make a completely new fur plate that can be used to cut another garment later. For all these reasons and for its unique softness and warmth, I believe fur is one of the best sustainable materials to design with.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Working already with fur for about a year, I have learned to make designs with it. I wanted to show my own vision of the theme “Future Heritage”, that inspired me a lot. In addition, the reward really convinced me to participate. Indeed, it is not so difficult to include fur in my garments, but it has important inherent characteristics to think of. I really wanted to be invited to the intensive practice in Toronto not only to get better at sewing and crafting fur, but also to learn tips from professionals on how to cut it, how to spot flaws, and how to improve the quality of the product in general to avoid using too much.

Hannah Walkes

Who are you in terms of design?

I am someone who likes to explore the natural aspects of design and integrate nature into my designs.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the freedom to make my visions and contemplate how I can make my vision a reality. I think fur would add a flair to my designs, and I would try to expand my natural designs to have a more animalistic side to them.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I wanted to partake in the competition because I have always wanted to learn about different types of furs and try and bring back the use of fur into everyday life.

Yassine Touati

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an accessories and jewelry designer. My design emanates from three essential elements: passion for the material, power of the color, and structure of the shape/symbolic of the pattern. It marries craftsmanship and technology, finding innovative ways to shape and sculpt the primary medium, always conscious of its fascinating physical properties and cultural dimensions.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the creative process of bringing to life ideas and designs with all the challenges and excitement of innovation. I enjoy creating a story and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Fur, its history, and heritage have inspired me. My primary working medium is leather in all its diversity and potential, and spontaneously I sensed a form of a natural dialogue between leather and fur. Fur is the continuation of my journey working with beautiful, sustainable raw materials. Fur is changing my design approach, my understanding of 3D modeling. I have reached excellence in leather, and I would like to achieve that in fur and marry the two materials together in beautifully crafted and designed winter accessories.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I have always been fascinated with fur as a material, and I admired the late genius, Karl Lagerfeld. He marveled with fur design for over 50 years at Fendi. As a young designer who recently moved to Montreal, when I read about the Fur Council of Canada competition, I decided to submit my candidacy as a new adventure and a daring opportunity to create and innovate using fur. Despite the challenging times around the world and the fur industry's uncertain future, I have tremendous faith in the future laying ahead for fur design in technology and innovation and the fur industry in business development and especially sustainability. Fur will remain as emblematic of Canada and Canadian heritage as the maple leaf/syrup. I aspire to carry out creativity and innovation in fur design for my generation as a Canadian haute couture, artisanal and prestigious industry.

Austin Bergeron

Who are you in terms of design?

I am constantly focused on shape, fit and silhouette. Proposing new shapes and silhouettes is the only thing that fuels my need and desire to design. To be honest, it’s the only reason I’m here, because it’s the one main aspect of design that I’m good at.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Design gives us an opportunity to reinterpret how we, as humans, represent ourselves. This is one of the reasons why I love design. We get to infuse our feelings and emotions into our designs which help us incapsulate a certain shape or feel. Fur represents an array of these different feelings and emotions, warmth, luxury, comfort, etc. Therefore, designing with fur opens the door to new schools of thought.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Design competitions give students an opportunity to showcase their skills and I wanted to showcase mine. Although I’ve never worked with fur, I felt that it was an interesting design element, and it sparked a lot of inspiration within me. I’m extremely happy that I entered the Canadian Fur Atelier design competition and look forward to entering more in the future.

Vishali Sitharthan

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an aspiring designer looking forward to learning and creating new innovations.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Designing makes me feel alive and powerful. Putting my ideas and thoughts together inspires me to thrive more. Designing and creating garments taught me to be patient; all good things take time to make, like how it takes nine months for a baby to come out. It takes time. Every time I make something, I feel like I am giving birth to a baby; I thoroughly enjoy every process and aspect of my creation. Moreover, I think using fur gives dimension and interesting texture to my ideas. It also elevates the look of my design and brings luxury with a timeless look.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

The challenge and complexity of the competition attracted me to do research. As a student, I have significantly fewer possibilities to work with fur and do research about it. This competition gave me a chance to do so. While participating in this competition, I had an excellent opportunity to learn about different techniques and finish of fur. I was also excited about the workshop to learn about fur; knowledge of working with skin can improve my garment skills.

Prudence Mekongue

Who are you in terms of design?

I am a designer who loves creating classic looks while incorporating sustainable fashion, be it through upcycling or recycling materials.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Design is a form of expression. While its an outlet, my design process is a chaotic space where I get to learn something new and challenge myself.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Firstly, I love fur because it reminds me of my heritage. The competition gave me room to translate why I love fur by using the theme "Future Heritage". I therefore entered the competition because this theme redefines what I interpreted as purposeful design for the future.

Carson Feng

Who are you in terms of design?

I am a designer that focuses on modern silhouettes that balance simple elegance with creative intricacy.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love solving problems through design and being able to bring my imagination into reality. This is especially true for fashion design. Working with fur makes me more sustainably-conscious, being more considerate of fashion’s impact on our planet and how we as young designers intend to navigate this problem.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Fur is a unique textile that is important to Canadian ancestry, and I wanted to prove my skills as a Canadian designer.

Erica Lugt

Who are you in terms of design?

I am resilient, healing doing my part reconciling through the love of indigenous fashion!

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fur is sexy; imagine tying in your ancestral designs with a modern twist!

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

To gain skills to create modern sustainable clothing while inspired by our traditional designs.

Olivia Chislett

Who are you in terms of design?

I am 23 and up till now have only done designs for fun, heavily based around my culture.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the different ways you can express beauty and ideas with designs, and the sheer amount of variety that comes when people of different backgrounds are able to share their designs. Nature has made such beautiful and unique things through fur, and fur is so deeply steeped in many cultures' traditional clothing. Adding fur adds a sense of quality, beauty, and comfort to the clothing.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I'm always very excited about indigenous futurism, and loved the idea of sharing some designs. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give things a shot and share some designs.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Last month, the 12 winners were announced of Canada's inaugural National Fur Designers Competition, judged by four Canadians all with their fingers firmly on the pulse of the fashion business: stylist Shea Hurley, designers D'Arcy Moses and Sage Paul, and model Stacey McKenzie. Later this year – Covid permitting – the fur competition winners will enjoy an all-inclusive workshop in Toronto under the expert tutelage of stylist to the stars Farley Chatto.

So how did the judges get to where they are today, and what advice do they have for the next generation? Truth About Fur found out.

Shea Hurley, Fashion Stylist

Grounded in fashion communications, buying, design and sales, Shea is now a sought-after fashion stylist. Her sense of style has helped top-tier advertisers and brands retain their edge as she strives to create value, inspire trends, and drive growth. To learn more, visit Shea's agency, Plutino Group, and her Instagram account sheahurley, or drop her a line at [email protected].

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring young designers, what would it be?

Shea Hurley: Be professional. Respect yourself enough to know your vision, what you're trying to say with your offering, and stay consistent with that message. This, with proper business management, will give your brand integrity. Fashion and apparel design is a long game – you learn with every garment, every collection, every season. Constantly.

With that, do your homework, know your market, competitors and potential collaborators. No designer is an island. Have grit, and humility, be tenacious with flexibility and malleability. Build your network wisely.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a stylist?

Shea: Ha, I still don't know that I want to be a stylist! It has been 15-plus years that I have absolutely loved and hated, but that's part of it. It's a part of me.

Seriously though, I fell into styling from wanting to be an agent or buyer, and was really great at it right out the gate. I have learned so much, seen so many places, met so many incredible people, all while playing dress up and creating so many different stories along the way.

TAF: Tell us about your life as a stylist.

Shea: Well, to be honest it's quite a balancing act. As much as it is about the clothes, it's more about the vision and players in each project. Lots of different personalities and tons of work, from sending pull requests to designers, showroom pulls, in store and online shopping to packing and unpacking, just to pack and unpack again. Writing carnets for customs, waiting on deliveries, pick ups, etc. Laying everything out neatly and safely, to then build looks. Steaming those looks for them to be wrinkled and steamed again, taping shoes to save the soles, pinning and clipping clothes to fit and/or hang properly, cleaning makeup off clothing and accessories. Chasing photographers who waltz models through fields, dirty alleys, puddles, mud, the list goes on. Dry-cleaning, mending rips, tears, button loss, etc. Organizing all the receipts and balancing budgets to fit the sometimes four-page expense reports. Keeping clients as well as merchants happy and satisfied on the same project can be a very difficult task that requires lots of tact, thank you cards and bottles of wine as gifts for everyone's special occasions. And then onto the next project. The stress truly never ends. But all in all it is very fulfilling and I do love it.

There are plenty of perks too. Working with incredible pieces of clothing that are history in the making, alongside dynamic people (models, celebrities, personalities, designers, creatives, photographers), to build an idea from the ground up fuels me. Fashion shows are a tremendous amount of work but also can be so magical and inspiring to attend and work on. Same for events. The networking never ends, so as enjoyable as it is to socialise within the industry, it is still and always will be work. Needless to say, I love what I do.

D'Arcy Moses, Fashion Designer

As an infant, D’Arcy was adopted by a white family in Alberta, and didn't learn he was Slavey Indian until he was 18. He has since reconnected with his roots, while going from starving artist to celebrated designer, with a passion for trendy clothes incorporating First Nations elements. For more on his remarkable journey, read "D'Arcy's big bet" by Up Here magazine.

Truth About Fur: What advice would you give to aspiring designers?

D'Arcy Moses: Be yourself. If you have a great design concept – one that's honest, from the heart – then use it. Work hard toward this. There is no free easy street with design; it takes dedication and hard work.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a fashion designer?

D'Arcy: I was about 12 years old and I was leafing through one of my mother's Harper's Bazaar magazines. It was a photograph of Yves Saint Laurent with Catherine Deneuve. A black velvet dress with a huge pink bow, back of the dress. Iconic. There was an energy there. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. Couture.

TAF: How did you get to where you are today?

D'Arcy: It all started in Vancouver. I was a young Dene man – 19 years old – who wanted to design. I bought my first sewing machine from a pawnshop on East Hastings Street for $60. I felt freedom for the first time. After that, I could only afford to buy beautiful cloth (pure silks) at about 10 centimetres at a time. I was a waiter at a Whitespot Restaurant, and saved every dime. There is no shame in being a waiter. It's honest, hard work, and I kind of loved that job.

Then I got a grant from the then Canadian Native Arts Foundation [renamed the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation in 1997 and Indspire in 2012] of $1,600 - a king's ransom for a young designer. So I used this to build a collection that was shown at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Then I decided to move to Toronto, and driving across Canada was beautiful. I got to Toronto and was poor, poor, poor! But a new life lay ahead!

I was making stretchy tube dresses to sell on the streets of Toronto. I was looking for a label manufacturer and accidentally dialled the Toronto Fashion Incubator. I remember asking the woman on the phone – her name was Mimi – for a label manufacturer. She said no, but put me in touch with the Incubator's director at the time, Carol Outram. I met her, she looked through my drawings of my designs, and then slammed my portfolio shut. I was terrified.  She told me, "In a few years, you will be famous."

After that, I applied to the Toronto Festival of Fashion / New Labels, and was accepted. More hard work followed, and I was still buying fabrics by the centimetre. I was working at the then Simpsons department store in the basement at minimum wage.

Then my collection took off and the press took notice, plus very good friends supported me. And then came licenses. The retail landscape has changed, but it's looking good so far!

SEE ALSO: D'Arcy Moses: First Nations heritage inspires modern fur designs. Truth About Fur.

Sage Paul, Fashion Designer

Sage is a member of the English River First Nation, based in Toronto. She is an award-winning artist and designer, and artistic director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. See her full bio at Sagepaul.com.

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring designers, what would it be?

Sage Paul: Keep at it! It’s a challenging road to making a career in fashion, but it is totally realistic and possible if you keep at it.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Sage: When I was just a little girl! I was inspired and encouraged by the women in my community to create, and so I did, because I loved it.

TAF: Tell us something about your designer life.

Sage: My designer life has shifted these days to focusing on Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto (IFWTO). It’s important to me to create this space for Indigenous designers before I can get back to design.

Stacey McKenzie, Model

Born in Jamaica, Stacey is a model, TV personality and motivational speaker. She has appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Essence and Flare, and in ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier and MAC Cosmetics. She has been a judge on both America's and Canada’s Next Top Model. To learn more, visit her on staceymckenzie.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to young designers, what would it be?

Stacey McKenzie: My advice to aspiring designers is to never give up. I've met quite a lot of aspiring fashion designers within Canada and they focus on making it in Canada, but when it doesn't happen, they give up. They need to push themselves by not being so comfortable, try other cities/countries, try to get people to rock their clothing, put themselves out there and don't give up on making it.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a model?

Stacey: At the age of nine I learned that modelling is a career, and I learned what it takes to be a model and knew right away that's what I wanted to be. I felt within my heart I was meant to be a model, and was persistent because I felt so strongly about it. I was different looking, and even though I got a lot of negative attention, I realised I was getting attention which I took as a positive thing and that it could work in my best interest becoming a model. When I moved to Toronto, I learned more about fashion through shows like FashionTelevision and Fashion File, plus I had the opportunity to see and buy fashion magazines which doesn't exist in my country.

TAF: Tell us about the Walk Camp.

Stacey: The Walk Camp is a camp I started for young girls within inner city neighbourhoods who wouldn't necessarily have the opportunity to be mentored by the likes of certain people within their respective fields. I grew up in these same communities and know what it felt like to not have someone or people guide me the right way, so I wanted to create a day camp giving the 30 girls I choose every summer the opportunity to be mentored by professionals. Some of the mentors include the former High Commissioner of Canada Laurie Ann Peters, host of Toronto's Breakfast Television Dina Pugliese, host of CityLine Tracy Moore, fashion designers Sunny Fong and Farley Chatto, singer Liberty Silver, plus many more. The Walk Camp recently launched in Jamaica, the country of my birth, which I am really excited about because that's where my journey began. It's been a blessing.

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

A fresh opportunity is coming soon for future designers to receive a holistic education on working with fur, against a backdrop of its cultural and historical importance to British Columbia's Indigenous First Nations.

The Learning Hub of Education and Design School will be held in Alert Bay on the 'Namgis Indigenous First Nations Traditional Territory of Vancouver Island. It’s a product of a partnership among BC's First Nations, Pacific Balance Marine Management Inc., and Nanaimo-based FurCanada. The ultimate aim of this partnership is to re-establish sealing and the fur trade as an important player in the economy of BC, where commercial sealing ended in the early 1970s. The Learning Hub executive would like to thank the 'Namgis First Nations for sponsoring this program.

Pacific Balance Marine Management Inc. is a First Nations group pushing for a license to sell pinniped products, including furs, human and pet food, and seal oil. FurCanada, which will organise the Learning Hub, is a fur manufacturing company in Nanaimo specialising in luxurious home décor, including blankets, pillows, floor coverings, garments, furniture and accessories. It is also known for its museum-quality taxidermy mounts.

FurCanada CEO and president Calvin Kania had hoped to welcome the inaugural batch of students this March, but Covid-19 has pushed the launch back to at least November. Once the green light is given to proceed, 25 students will engage in 10 days of intensive study, with all materials, tools, machinery, accommodation, meals, transportation, field trips and instructors covered by a nominal fee of $500 per head. Prior experience will not be a factor in the selection process, but prospective participants must demonstrate a genuine interest in learning about fur, including its history. For full details and updates about applying, see FurCanada's website.

Expert Instruction

Instruction will be provided by two experts with extensive international résumés.

Heading the program will be Prof. Vasilis Kardasis, who is currently FurCanada's Innovation and Design Director responsible for the company's Seal Fur Workshops. He is a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art in London, England, and has done stints at Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Saga Furs, and Studio NAFA.

Assisting him will be Panagiotis "Panos" Panagiotidis, currently Master Furrier and Production Manager at FurCanada. Like Prof. Kardasis, Panagiotidis has years of experience working with European fur companies, and the two previously cooperated in organising the Summer Fur School in Kastoria, Greece.

Under their tutelage, students will work with a range of furs, including seal, beaver, mink, sable, fox and coyote. They will practice stretching and nailing (“blocking”) skins, and proper handling of a fur knife when cutting pelts to fit a pattern. They will also be taught how to sew furs and leathers – including smoked-tanned moose, elk or deer – by machine and by hand. And they'll work with textiles ranging from traditional hemp to modern, high-tech fabrics. Plus they'll spend half a day covering the basics of one of FurCanada's specialties, taxidermy.

To broaden their understanding of the fur trade still further, students will take field trips to a mink farm (Covid permitting), a trapline, and a fur retailer, and they'll take part in a First Nations seal harvest where they will learn proper retrieval and how to remove hides, blubber and meat.

Special Advisors, Guest Speakers

In devising the Learning Hub program, FurCanada wanted to reflect the strong roots Canada's modern fur trade has in the 4,000-year-old culture and heritage of the First Nations. For this, it was imperative to bring the right advisors on board.

This role has been filled by three British Columbians, who will also serve as guest speakers: Chief Roy S. Jones Jr. of the Haida Gwaii First Nations; Tom Sewid, artist and commercial fisherman, of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations; and Chief Brian Wadhams of the 'Namgis First Nations.

Other guest speakers will represent fur retailing, trapping, fur farming, fur manufacturing, taxidermy, auction houses, tanning, and industry associations. There will also be government officials on hand to explain the importance of environmental protection and animal welfare in this most regulated of industries.

Last but not least, two special slots have been reserved for media representatives to join the program, so they too will learn about the fur trade and be able to tell our story. "We want the world to know First Nations fur trappers and the Canadian fur trade are here to stay, to revive, to flourish and to succeed," says Kania.

Why Teaching Matters

While the Learning Hub program is new, it's not FurCanada's first foray into the world of teaching: last March it launched a series of Seal Fur Workshops. So what drives Kania and his team to educate others?

"Perseverance and passion for the trade, passion for fur trappers, passion for Canada’s cultural heritage and our country’s history. There wouldn’t be a Canada today if it were not for the fur trade," says Kania. "And above all, passion for the animals that were sustainably harvested with the world's top state-of-the-art traps – which happen to be the most humane trapping devices available anywhere.

"I come from a fur trapping family, so it was very important to me that this element of the trade takes a leading role in this program. Fur schools have come and gone over the years, but none that I can recall enveloped the entire trade in one program. No other country has all the elements as Canada does – wild fur, farm-raised fur, trappers, fur auction houses, furriers, manufacturers, designers, tanners, and fur traders.

SEE ALSO: Trapline Tales: Greasy Bill Creek, my father's final resting place. By Calvin Kania for Truth About Fur.

"And of course there's my passion for Indigenous First Nations people and their struggle within Canada. Among many issues facing the fur industry, the trade itself will have to come to terms at some point in acknowledging Indigenous reconciliation. Now, more than ever, is the right time to change the channel on how our trade functions. It’s time we think outside the box and make some radical changes if we wish to see it survive another 400 years. It starts with educating young people, one person at a time."

So is this how the Learning Hub fits into Kania's vision?

"Yes. In general terms, we want to ensure the preservation and continuation of the fur trade in Canada and also worldwide," he says. "And for the Canadian industry to survive and succeed in the 21st century, we must reach out to our most important benefactor, ally and the original producers of fur – the First Nations. The fur trade existed and flourished among First Nations long before white settlers arrived on our shores."

More specifically, the Learning Hub curriculum is designed to give students a combination of practical skills and the knowledge they will need to go out into the world and represent the fur trade accurately.

"For the fur designers and furriers of tomorrow to prosper, they should acquire as much knowledge as possible, not just about working with fur, but also where it comes from and its history," says Kania. "Learning Hub students will be the future of the trade, and we must give them the necessary tools to carry us forward."

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

In response to an unexpected shortage this year of opportunities for aspiring fur designers, the Canadian fur trade has launched a whole new competition. Ten lucky winners of the inaugural Student Fur Design Competition will enjoy an all-expenses-paid week-long workshop, learning not only techniques for working with fur, but also why fur is a responsible choice in an age when we are all being called upon to wear sustainable and ethical clothing.

The competition was launched on October 28, but the deadline for entries is not until January 15, so there's still plenty of time folks!

What makes this competition special is that it's truly a group effort, with the list of contributors reading like a who's who of the Canadian fur trade. In alphabetical order we have the Canada Mink Breeders Association, the Fur Council of Canada, Fur Harvesters Auction, the Fur Institute of Canada, International Fur Dressers and Dyers, the Ontario Fur Breeders Association, the Ontario Fur Managers Federation, and the Seals and Sealing Network. Coordinating them all is Melanie Calandra, Managing Director of Canadian Relations for the International Fur Federation - Americas Region.

The workshop itself will be held at Ryerson University in downtown Toronto, under the auspices of Canadian Fur Atelier, a new name for an old hand, Farley Chatto, who is both a Ryerson professor and designer in residence at Four Seasons Furs.

Successor to Studio NAFA

The competition is not so much a new idea as a response to fill a gap created by two major developments, explains coordinator Melanie.

"In 2007, North American Fur Auctions launched Studio NAFA, a series of annual workshops for aspiring fur designers, led by none other than Farley Chatto. But when NAFA closed its doors in 2019, that meant the end of the workshops too."

Then came Covid-19, and the fur trade's premier international design competition, REMIX, had to be cancelled.

"The International Fur Federation, which organises REMIX in collaboration with Vogue Italia and Vogue Talents, just couldn't go ahead due to travel restrictions," says Melanie. "And that was when we reached out to Farley and Fur Harvesters Auction with the idea of launching a whole new event.”

Pandemic Concessions

Still, concessions have had to be made to the pandemic. Unlike Studio NAFA and REMIX, which were both open to designers from around the world, for this year at least the Student Fur Design Competition will be strictly a national event, open only to Canadian students and recent graduates.

"When Covid-19 is behind us, who knows what the future may hold," says Melanie. "But for now, we are happy to provide an opportunity for our fellow countrymen at least."

Also reflecting life under lockdown, the competition stage - during which winners will be selected to take part in the workshop - will be held entirely online. Using their imaginations only and no actual furs, entrants will sketch three designs incorporating furs produced in Canada: mink, fox, beaver, raccoon, seal, muskrat, coyote, fisher and sable/marten.

Winners will then use those same furs for real at the Toronto workshop, which is scheduled for August, but no date has been cast in stone.

"Covid permitting, August is the target," says Melanie. "But of course our priority will be everyone's safety, so if we need to reschedule, we'll do so, no question."

Highlighting Sustainability, Ethics

Aside from inspiring students to get creative with fur, the competition's organisers have another very clear goal.

"This is more than just a design competition," says Melanie. "Of course the workshop will cover fashion trends and innovative techniques for working with different furs, and we want participants to explore the versatility of this unique, natural material. But just as important, we want them to understand fur's environmental and ethical credentials."

Today's fashion industry is dominated by fast fashion, she explains, much of which is made of synthetic materials derived from petroleum. Petroleum is non-renewable and therefore unsustainable, its extraction and processing are polluting, and materials produced from it don't biodegrade.

"The fashion industry as a whole is now being challenged to be more environmentally responsible, and fur is one of the most environmentally friendly clothing materials around. So the workshop will look at the sustainability of fur in every area of the trade, from farming to trapping to dressing to manufacturing."

"We'll talk about the 52,000 tons of food waste Canada's fur farms divert from landfills each year, how the manure is used as fertilizer, and mink oil makes biodiesel. We'll talk about the role played by trappers in wildlife management and the protection of endangered species. We'll talk about the importance of trapping in keeping remote communities viable. And we'll put all this in the context of a fashion industry dominated by synthetics, and of the importance, now more than ever before, of shopping sustainably. Why buy a coat for a season when you can buy one to last a lifetime?"

The workshop will also examine the ethics of using animals for human benefit, with an emphasis on the importance of animal welfare.

"It is vital that fur designers of tomorrow know the realities of the modern fur trade so they are equipped to defend what they do," explains Melanie. "They need to know why fur is an ethical choice, and why the narrative pushed by animal rights groups is so misleading.

"Today's youth are a socially and environmentally aware generation, and our workshop will give future fur designers a solid platform from which to demonstrate why natural fur is the responsible choice."

***

To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.