What to Look For
With today's wide variety of fur fashion, your choices are endless. So give some thought to your purchase: How will you wear your fur? Will you spend time in blue jeans and a funky knitted fur or a leather jacket lined in sheared beaver? Will you dress for an elegant night on the town in a classic mink coat? Or will a touch of fur add sophistication to your work wardrobe, with, for example, an understated fur collar on a classic wool suit? Once you decide which fur best fits your lifestyle, it's time to start looking.

Where to look
A great place to start is at your local Holzman Furs & Holzman's Furworks fur salons. Feel free to browse and ask us questions. We will be happy to introduce you to the world of fur.

Whatever type of fur you choose:

• Check to see that the pelts are lustrous, supple and well matched.
• Feel the fur carefully. There should be a dense, soft underfur that is evident to the touch under the glossy guard hairs, which should also be soft, never bristly
• Seams should be sewn tightly Hems should fall straight.
• Be sure to try the garment on to see if the weight is comfortable for you. You may be surprised at how lightweight many fur coats actually are.
• When you try on a well-made fur, it should be well balanced, falling evenly and comfortably from your shoulders.
• There should be "give" to the leather side of the fur when horizontal tension is applied.

Beaver
Sheared soft, velvety texture, evenly sheared. Often dyed in new fashion colors, very durable. Natural: Long, lustrous guard hairs over thick underfur.

Chinchilla
A short, soft fur with lustrous slate blue guard hairs and dark underfur.

Coyote
A longhaired fur, often pale gray or tan in color, with thick, soft under fur. Very durable fur.

Ermine
Very silky white guard hairs and dense underfur

Fisher
Silky guard hairs in brown to blackish tones and thick under fur. Very durable fur.

Fitch
Long guard hairs over light-colored underfur Color ranges from pale ecru to orange tones, with black markings.

Fox
The widest range of natural colors of any fur except mink. Long, lustrous guard hairs with thick, soft underfur. Fox varieties include silver cross, crystal, blue, red, gray and white. Can also be dyed in a wide variety of colors.

Lamb
Broadtail: A natural flat moire pattern. Natural colors include brown, black and gray Often dyed in more exotic colors, Mongolian: very long, wavy, silky guard hairs. Its natural color is off-white, but is often dyed. Mouton: Pelts are sheared closely fore soft, thick, flat fur. Persian Lamb: From karakul sheep raised in central Asia or Southwest Africa, fur features flat silky curls. Natural colors are black, brown and grey Shearling: Natural lamb pelts with the leather side sueded or leatherized and worn on the outside with the fur on the inside.

Lynx
Canadian Lynx: Displays creamy white tones with characteristic darker markings. Russian Lynx: The whitest and softest of this very longhaired fur with very subtle beige markings. The whiter the fur, the higher the value.

Marten
American: Long silky guard hairs and dense underfur. Color ranges from blue-brown to dark brown. Baum: Softer, silkier and shinier than American marten. Stone: The finest marten has soft, thick guard heirs and a bluish-brown cast with pale underfur.

Mink
Soft and lightweight with lustrous guard hairs and dense, soft underfur Primarily farm-raised, mink remains the most popular fur Female pelts are smaller in size and have a softer, silkier feel than the larger male pelts. Mink can be dyed a wide range of colors and may be sheared for a sporty, casual look, very durable fur

Muskrat
Fur is full and thick with a black stripe and pale beige sides. Often sheared for a sporty, lightweight feel. New Jersey: Lighter in weight with contrasting colors. Northern: Strong. longer guard hairs and heavy, thick underfur Often worked skin-on-skin. Southern: Flatter with little underfur, usually pale in color

Nutria
Similar to beaver, it is often sheared for a sporty, more lightweight feel. Underfur is very soft and plush. A popular fur for linings and trims, it is frequently dyed in a variety of colors.

Opossum
American: Long, silvery black-tipped guard hairs with thick underfur Australian: Short, dense, plush-like fur, with colors ranging from yellow-gray to natural brown.

Rabbit
Generally medium length guard hairs in a variety of natural colors. Often sheared or grooved. Not very durable, sheds easily

Raccoon
Long gray/black guard hairs with silvery tips over a woolly dense underfur very durable fur Finn raccoon: Long, thick tan guard hairs with black tips and dense underfur

Sable
Long, luxurious guard hairs with dense underfur, yet very lightweight. Russian sable: Brown with a silver cast, it is the most expensive fur, especially when there is an abundance of silver hairs. Canadian golden sable: In amber tones, somewhat less expensive. Very durable.

Squirrel
Short, soft guard hairs with a flatter, dense underfur very lightweight.

Tanuki
Also called Japanese raccoon with very long guard hairs and a full texture. Color is light amber brown with dark, distinctive markings.

Weasel
Similar look to mink, with short guard hairs and semi-dense underfur.