How to Store a Fur Coat

Giving your fur coat, jacket, stole or hat a summer vacation in cooler
climes is one of the best steps you can take to increase its longevity
and preserve its value. Store it properly and you'll have a clean, glossy
garment when it comes out of hibernation.

Instructions

1. Hang fur coats and jackets during the winter season on wide hangers in a closet large enough to avoid crushing garments together. Avoid hanging furs where sunlight could oxidize exposed sleeves or the entire side of a coat.

2. Move furs to a professional storage facility during the warmer months. (Check out sites like Fur-services.com to locate the closest fur storage facility.) An air-conditioned room or a cool basement doesn't offer sufficient protection from moth damage or the drying out of leather. If the leather dries out, it eventually cracks, resulting in excessive shedding of your fine fur.

3. Choose a fur vault for summer storage rather than a dry cleaner's storage room. Look for a vault with circulating air kept at a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees F (7 to 10 C) and a humidity level of 50 percent.

4. Check the terms of the storage company's insurance coverage. Furriers usually offer nominal insurance coverage while your coat is in storage and sometimes make further coverage available for a small fee. Also insure your fur on your homeowner's policy for its replacement value.

5. Have furs cleaned before long-term storage. During the winter months, dust particles sift down through the hairs and settle on the leather, where they absorb the natural oils and hasten the skins' drying and cracking.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the facility will take care of minor repairs such as tightening loose hooks and repairing torn lining before placing the furs in storage.

• See 139 Store Out-of- Season Clothes.

• Consider having an older fur garment restyled before placing it in storage. When you pick it up in the fall, you'll feel like you're getting a brand-new garment.

• Never crush a fur coat in a plastic bag.