Some people have a lot of difficulty telling the difference between real and faux fur. To the untrained eye, two pieces can seem almost identical, making it difficult to tell the difference between the two fur coats. However, there are distinctive differences between real and faux fur. Whether you have inherited a fur coat and want to know if its real or you are considering buying one secondhand and want to know before you buy it, knowing what to look for can help you make the proper determination so you don’t lose out on the value of real fur coats.

Check the Backing

One way you can detect faux fur coats versus the real thing is to check the backing of the coat. When real fur coats are made, the fur is left in the skin of the animal, resulting in a pelt in its entirety. If you are dealing with a faux fur coat, the backing will be made from cloth. In addition, it will be obvious that the fur was added to the backing rather than growing there naturally.

Smell It

It may seem odd to smell fur coats, but it can actually help you pick out a real fur coat over a faux one. Because a real fur coat is made of the fur from animals, it should have the faint set of a wet animal. If you own a dog, you are familiar with the wet dog smell. A real fur coat should have a hint of this smell naturally.

Feel the Fur

Natural fur coats often have softer fur than faux fur coats. This is because of the way the tanning process is completed, as well as because of the natural qualities of fur. The fake material used to create faux fur coats has a tendency to be stiff, especially when it is new and hasn’t been broken in yet.

Being able to identify whether fur coats are real or fake can help you get more for a real coat you are looking to sell or help you avoid paying too much for a faux fur coat. If you know what to look for, you should be able to identify whether a fur coat requires a higher price tag. However, if you are still having trouble, you may want to consider taking the coat to a furrier for a professional analysis.