As winter approaches, we increasingly think about what will warm us in cold weather. Fashion trends are changing, new materials appear, but clothes made from natural fur will forever remain the favorite of the winter season. But how to choose from all this variety? After all , there are a lot of types of fur, as well as manufacturing countries, but I want the thing to be of high quality and please the fashionista for a long time. The answer will be one: Scandinavian mink. And this is due to a number of reasons, which will be discussed later.
The most popular fur
A Scandinavian mink fur coat holds a leading position throughout the world. It accounts for 80% of sales of fur products. The main reason for this is the impeccable quality of the fur. A wide variety of pile lengths and a wide range of colors also play an important role. The noble splendor and magnificent appearance led to the fact that the Scandinavian mink was called the “black diamond”.
World Fur Trade Center
Finland is the only country in the world where fur production is taught in high school. And it is not surprising that not far from Helsinki, in the city of Vantaa, the most large-scale fur auctions are held - Saga Furs Oyj. Scandinavian mink, the price at which varies from 40 to 60 dollars per skin, is the main subject of bidding. The main customers are Russia, China, Greece and Turkey. All fur produced in the Scandinavian countries goes through 12 stages of processing. Its quality is monitored at the state level at all stages - from cultivation to sale. So the fur coat from the Scandinavian mink is not in vain considered to be the highest quality product.
Unique breeds
Do not think that mink - has only one look and shade. The Finnish mink is distinguished by a wide variety of tones, because it was from there that the types of fur that had no analogues in the world came from. Scandinavian mink of a rare variety, which everyone is accustomed to call "polar", is in great demand among fashionistas. Her long and thick fur resembling sable is especially appreciated by ladies from high society.
No less popular are the "crosses" - minks with a pronounced strip located along and across the ridge, resembling a cross. The uniqueness of this fur is that it does not lose the strip when dyed. There are several types of such mink:
- Sapphire Cross - the strip has a bluish-gray hue.
- Silver Cross - a bright gray stripe.
- Pastel Cross - a dark brown strip along and across the ridge.
Products from such fur are quite expensive, because production volumes are limited. No less valued is the Scandinavian mink called Finnjaguar, which means “Finnish jaguar”. The animal has a white color with clear black spots.
Most common types
Brown mink is the basis of the Scandinavian fur industry. At the same time, the color palette is quite wide: from an almost black tint to fawn. Inexpensive types of brown fur are Scanbrown, in shades of which there is a purple tint, and a lighter Scanglow. Pastel is a bit more expensive, but the most expensive and appreciated is Mahogany. Less common is the gray mink, which can be of such varieties:
- plain gray - Sapphire;
- dark shade with pale undercoat - Blue Iris;
- light brown tint - Silverblue;
- gray-beige mink - Pearl;
- pale gray color - Violet;
- natural white color - White.
More attention is paid to the rare Scandinavian mink fur called Scanblack, whose black color is more valued than regular brown. At the same time, medium hair length and a dense volumetric underfoot of this breed make products from this fur a favorite of recent seasons.
Length and quality of undercoat
Scandinavian mink varies in many varieties and can be not only short-haired or long-haired. There are also many transitional species that differ in the thickness of the undercoat and the length of the outer hair. They appeared thanks to the long and hard work of breeders. Due to its greater endurance and resistance to humidity, in the conditions of our winters the Scandinavian mink will become the most practical option. How to distinguish it from the same American? First of all, pay attention to the fur. It should be equal, of medium length. At the same time, the Finnish mink has a higher outer hair, and the Danish mink has a lower pile.
Often on sale you can find products from sheared or decoratively plucked fur. Try to avoid such purchases, because only low-grade and even sick mink is subjected to such processing. At the same time, the wear period of the product is significantly reduced. Do not trust the seller that taking an unshaven mink is now unfashionable. All these tricks are created only in order to hide the defects of the skin. The natural look is what the Scandinavian mink is valued for.
How to distinguish a fake?
Such popularity could not fail to interest scammers of all kinds and dishonest dealers. So before you buy a Scandinavian mink, you should take a closer look at the purchase. Of course, it is best to go to a company store, because the percentage of fakes there is much less than in an ordinary boutique. Before the acquisition, it is worthwhile to carry out several simple manipulations that will tell you a lot about the quality of the fur. First of all, slide your palm against the coat - a high-quality mink returns to its original position within a few seconds. If this did not happen, and the fur was ruffled or broken, then they want to sell you not a mink, but a product from cheaper raw materials.
Close attention to the cover of the product can save you from buying a fake. Take a closer look at the length of the villi, they should be exactly the same. If the hairs vary in length, then under the guise of a Scandinavian mink they want to sell a groundhog. Also try the fur to the touch - it should not be scratchy.
But even if you know how to distinguish a marmot from a mink, this does not guarantee the purchase of a quality product. After all, a fur coat can be handicraft production. You can distinguish a quality product if you pinch or shake the fur a little. The product of the highest standard will not lose any wool. Also worth a look at the texture of the fur. High-quality mink has no bald spots, oily sheen, and villi do not stick together.
Do not forget to look under the lining, because sometimes unpleasant surprises are hidden there. Properly skinned Scandinavian mink should not be white, and even less yellow. The skin color should be even, and the texture itself should not have holes or any damage. It is also important to know how the parts of the product are connected. Neat and even seams indicate the quality of the product. While the parts glued together, they can say that the product in front of you is an order of magnitude cheaper.
Scandinavian mink. Reviews
The huge annual sales volume speaks for itself. Two of the three fur coats and mantles in the world are made from this fur. And there are a number of reasons due to which the leading position in the world is occupied by the Scandinavian mink. Customer reviews talk about these benefits:
- moisture resistance of fur;
- wear resistance;
- quality due to tight control;
- a huge selection of colors and shades;
- relatively low cost of goods.
Finally, I want to say: do not save too much on the purchase of a fur coat. After all, this product is bought for more than one season. So it’s better to take a more expensive model that will please you for more than one year than to purchase a fake from the tray and regret this purchase for a long time.