How Is Fake Fur Made?

Fake fur made from synthetic fibers provides an alternative to real fur.

Fake fur, also referred to as faux fur, is made to imitate exotic real furs of animals such as beavers, minks and chinchillas. Organizations such as the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have incited controversies surrounding real fur and the animal cruelty involved in its acquisition, and modern fake fur is considered a more politically correct alternative.

History

Fake fur was introduced on the commercial market in 1929 and was made from alpaca hair according to Madehow.com. Although alpacas are animals, their hair was readily available and meant to imitate beaver and mink fur which were rarer and therefore more expensive. It wasn't until the 1940s that the technology used to manufacture textiles advanced enough to improve the quality of fake fur tremendously. In the 1950s, alpaca hair was replaced by modern fake fur that is not made from any kind of animal hair.

Materials

Modern fake fur is constructed using synthetic fibers, and according to Madehow.com these synthetic fibers are used to create fabrics called modacrylics and are composed of acrylic polymers and other polymers. According to Madehow.com, "acrylic polymers are made from chemicals derived from coal, air, water, petroleum, and limestone."

Process

Madehow.com states that the elements involved in the manufacturing of fake fur "include production of the synthetic fibers, construction of the garment and modification of the garment." The first step to making fake fur is to chemically synthesize fibers; in this step, fibers are dyed and colored. Using the chemically synthesized fibers, fur is produced by weaving, tufting, circular knitting or sliver knitting. In the final stage of fake fur manufacturing, the fabric is heated, combed through with wire brushes, sheared, polished, treated, embossed and labeled.

Benefits

The production of fake fur from synthetic fibers and the improvements that have made it relatively close to the real thing provide a cheaper and more humane alternative to using or wearing real fur. The making of fake fur procures an alternative product for those people ethically opposed to wearing real fur as well as those that may have allergies. The continued improvement in the likeness of fake fur to real fur furthers the goals of organizations that protect animal rights as well as the lives of animals themselves.

Misconceptions

Both the initial use of alpaca hair and the use of multiple chemicals and synthetic fibers in fake fur have given fake fur a reputation of being of poor quality and inferior to real fur. Madehow.com states that the fashion industry, government and fake fur producers have set quality controls that "outline minimum performance standards for things such as shrinkage, pilling, snagging and wear." Fake fur is supposed to be tested at various stages of its production to ensure its adherence to standards.

References

• Madehow.com; How Products are Made: Volume 3: Fake Fur