The Economic Impact of the Fur Industry: everything you need to know now here
The Economic Impact of the Fur Industry: $30 billion a year to the global economy!
Fur is everything: it’s soft, it’s warm, it’s fashion-forward and it’s fun, is sustainable because in natural.
But fur is also a business.
An industry.
Ever wondered what the world-wide economic impact of the fur industry is? It’s time to start talking numbers!
The History of Fur
Fur deserves its place in the deep depths of history, because it is one of the oldest traded items in the world. Global traders from North America and Russia would travel to other nearby countries to sell fur skins: they were the primary source of warmth during hard winters for many communities. Because of its convenient location, many trappers would travel to New York, helping the city to grow and evolve, as they chose it as the ideal place to sell their goods.
“I’m writing a book about fur and its history – I cannot wait to share with you all my work =)”
Fur remains a global trade, and it is one that creates millions of jobs around the world. In fact, more than 40 countries in the world benefit economically from the fur trade. I already wrote this post abut how many people and where work for the fur industry Here we break down where those jobs come from, and the vital economic benefit they have to the communities that rely on them:
The Lifecycle of Fur
Interested to know more about the people that work in the fur industry?
The stages of fur manufacture and production are often referred to as a lifecycle. And a different skilled and highly specialist role is required at each stage of this lifecycle.
First, the fur itself needs to be bred: the largest fur farmers are in Scandinavia, Russia and North America, although many other countries also have fur farms where they breed furs. Furs such as fox, sable, mink, chinchilla and raccoon are bred in such a way that these innovative farmers are at the forefront of animal agriculture. Fur farming skills tend to be passed down from generation to generation, creating much needed work and revenue for often remote communities. Let’s not forget the wild fur trappers that also sit at this level of the lifecycle, for whom trapping is often the only way they are able to feed their families. The fur industry cannot work in isolation: vets, waste disposal experts and farmers growing animal feed all also benefit from it.
Don’t forget that I wrote a guide about fur: all fur skins on the market and their grading
In the next stage of the lifecycle, this fur is sold at one of the world’s big six fur auction houses. More jobs and therefore more economic benefit is created at this stage of the lifecycle too. Here the skins are sorted, traded, transported, and moved around the world. Haulage firms, experts in the fur industry, and freight suppliers will all benefit largely from the fur industry at this point.
The dressing and dying process is the next step in our life cycle, providing jobs in factories where the fur is treated and readied for production and ultimately sale. Italy, Greece and Asia (all countries currently facing their own economic problems) are the countries that lead the way in providing much-needed jobs in this sector. It is here that responsible and sustainable ways of bringing colour to the fur are developed; a role that has benefits to other areas of the fashion industry.
Of course, the artisans and design houses that work with the pelts to create beautiful garments from them sit at the next stage of the lifecycle. This highly skilled work is a huge vocation for most, who are passionate about the furs they work with and the incredible products they are able to produce. The techniques used by these furriers have been honed for decades and often each fur piece is created by hand to deliver unique pieces. And let’s not forget everyone who works in retail, helping to deliver these beautiful pieces into the hands of the consumers.
The Numbers of The Economic Impact of the Fur Industry
So what does all this hard work mean in real terms?
Well, what we are left with is an industry that contributes more than $30 billion a year to the global economy.
Millions of jobs are not only created, but roles that you might consider to be unrelated (farming and freight, for example) are also supported by the industry, often in remote and rural communities where jobs are hard to find.
$30 billion a year is a huge figure that will create significant tax revenues for many countries and ensures that the industry is contributing to benefit the countries where the fur industry is thriving. This money can be reinvested into health care, affordable housing, and other important things that people rely on.
After the FURMARK certification this number probably will change a bit. I already wrote a post about what will change: the whole industry.
