Fur to perform $100 million business

28 Aug '06

2 min read

Denmark rules the fur industry, selling 80 percent more mink than the US.

Garment manufacturing is ruled by Asia, rather than New York and expanding markets in China, Korea and Russia are helping drive new demand.

Now the fur industry is so global that some Native Alaskans buy wild-animal skins to make traditional clothing.

One of the largest fur markets, American Legend this year, in Renton in the United States will be hosting international auctions in February and May, drawing hundreds of buyers from about 20 countries.

In this auction it is presumed that US $100 million business will be transacted.

Merchants from all over the world would come to Western Washington to pick skins of animals on behalf of garment manufacturers who will produce boots, hats, gloves, scarves, blankets and coats.

In 1999, they tried to refocus the industry and consumers that fur could be an integral part of fashion.

Spurred by a boom in demand from China and recent popularity to glossy marketing, the price of American mink pelts jumped 33 percent last year and after a few rough decades, fur is back.

Fur had been controversial as early as the 1960s, and by the 1980s and early 1990s it was the target of sabotage by animal-rights activists, who vandalized stores.

In addition, there were economic troubles in Asia and a glut of furs and then the prices crashed.

In order to revive the business, American Legend, a cooperative of 220 North American mink ranchers, undertook advertising campaigns, hiring supermodels.

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