Fur Coat: Origin, Use and Dispute

Humans have hair; animals have fur. Fur commonly grows on warm-blooded animals, more frequently on mammals. Each animal may have different lengths of fur - other species (or breed of species) may grow longer and thicker materials than the others. Because of the insulation property of it, animals have been killed since prehistoric times for it which is used by our ancestors for clothing. Yes, indeed, the first persons on Earth have wrapped coat around their bodies to keep them warm.
At present, it is safe to say that there are two types of people who are using fur coats. The first one is the indigenous people who still rely on animal skin and fur for their clothing. Perhaps the most reliable case in point is the Inuits of Canada's Arctic regions who continue to hunt down animals for clothes production. The second type of persons are those who live in lavish societies which consider lush and expensive fur coats as symbol of wealth and social status. Fur coats are in use in Europe and America and other parts of the world where it snows heavily during winter. Aside from this, coats made of it are becoming a big thing in the fashion industry, giving it an even higher eminence in the world scene.
At present fur from foxes and minks are the most used for the production of coats and other merchandise (aside from coats, hats, footwear and other apparels can be produced from it). Other animals would include ermines, rabbits, beavers, sables, and even domesticated animals such as dogs and cats. Processing is a long and meticulous task which involves enzymes, bleaches, degreasing agents, dyes and finishing agents. The industry of fur has proliferated since the 17th century and the process has not changed much, except for the types of chemicals which are in use today.
However, the industry of fur trade has been under strict scrutiny - especially of animals' rights and animal welfare organizations- for a long time already. These organizations, most notably PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have been against the production and consumption of anything which utilizes real fur. They are opposed mainly to the way animals are treated in fur factory farms wherein their lives are usually described as short and painful. Animals, they argue, do not deserve to suffer from too much stress and fear, as well as parasites and diseases.
As a solution to the problem, the use of faux coats (fake) is highly encouraged. It had entered the market fifty years ago and is a strong contender against the utilization of the real fur products. IT is made of synthetic materials which are made to imitate real fur. Production of faux ideally should make the demands for real coat decline by giving the people a more affordable and animal-friendly option. However, some have pointed out certain weaknesses of using faux products. They argue that those who buy false products can hurt the environment even worse because the material used in faux fur may not decompose as fast as real coat which dries out eventually, after a few months or so.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jared_E._Ingram

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