Let the winter chill…and rain…and wind be upon us

Winter is here and if you’re like us it’s all about the soft light, the crisp air, snowfall, and the cosiness of real fur. We love its softness, sensuality and beauty. But it’s more than luxury, it is also a functional, high performing material to help us embrace chill of winter with ease.

Fur that has been cared for is by far the most sustainable of clothing materials and an excellent, practical choice for outerwear. If it weren’t so beautiful, we might even dare to call it ‘ultilitarian’.

 

Here are 4 facts about functional side of real fur:

1. Cold insulation – The material is unmatched in terms of warmth. Independent test results show that it is 70% warmer than artificial ‘fake’ option and 40% warmer than cashmere.

2. Breathability and Water resistance – Tests also prove that water evaporates faster from fur and water penetration is zero for fur during 10 minutes of simulated rainfall. In comparison, artificial fur and cashmere both had significant penetration of 3.80g and 4.55g respectively.

3. Fastness to rubbing – Tests done to the point of damage indicate that hair loss is not a concern over time, and that fur is less liable to stain than the other materials. Fur achieves a grade 5 (requirement is grade 4).

4. Tear strength/durability – Independent tests demonstrate that as material ages the leather side of fur actually becomes stronger – up to an 80.7% increase for certain types of fur. In comparison, artificial fur and cashmere both show declines in tear strength of 10.5% and 9.9% respectively. This demonstrates that fur is a long lasting, durable material that can last for generations.

To read about the sustainability of the material, check out this article.

 

Did you know?

Did you know that the real fur trimming used in parka coats is not just a decor, but has a practical purpose. Trimming creates a warmer microclimate around the face and protects it from cold and wind. Many of the native inhabitants of the northern regions, such as the Inuit, have used this to stay warm.

In addition, we love that parka is not only warm but super trendy outwear option!

 

 

*Tests were conducted by TÜV Rheinland, an accredited auditing body that can inspect and certify textiles for harmful substance content as well as physical and qualitative based characteristics of the material. TÜV Rheinland has its headquarters in Cologne, and a performance testing lab in Leipzig, Germany.

Cold insulation based on EN ISO 20877:2011       Water vapor permeability based on EN ISO 20344:2011

Rainwater resistance based on DIN EN ISO 29865:1993      Fastness to rubbing based on EN ISO 11640

Tear strength according to EN ISO 3377-1:2012

*Garments photographed in photos used in this article are coming from Moose Knuckles Canada.