The use of real fur, whether for a coat, scarf, hat, rug or bedspread, is a contentious concern that divides most people up based upon extreme "right or wrong" viewpoints. It seems that one either takes an ideological stance against the use of fur or one loves the products created from it. Humans have been killing wildlife for food and fur for thousands upon thousands of years. During the last half century, however, furriers and their customers have had to cope with animal rights groups who maintain that killing animals purely for their pelts, regardless of whether living in the wild or on farms, is inhumane and should be abolished. Nevertheless, many people with the means still purchase and greatly enjoy fur products.
The fur industry employs hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide as trappers, farmers, furriers and others such as merchants and wholesalers. Furs are gathered by trappers in the wild who must observe strict wildlife management regulations. First and foremost, no endangered species may be trapped for their fur, and populations of wild animals have to be monitored to ensure a species does not end up on the endangered species list.
Fur proponents maintain that proper wildlife management helps prevent overpopulation of any single species, which can upset a delicate eco-system and ultimately can lead to habitat destruction, disease and starvation, and these supporters have evidence to back up this claim. Opponents debate that no matter how it's put, trapping is inhumane and ultimately causes suffering and death not only of the intended prey, but also of many creatures that inadvertently stepped into a trap meant for another species.
Traditional traps are still used which, animal rights groups point out, cause animals to suffer while still still living, whether from the trap itself or an trauma that has been self-inflicted in an effort to get free. A growing number of trappers have moved to soft traps as a way to avoid these eventualities. Soft traps are built to catch the animal without wounding it and causing it to suffer unnecessarily.
Fur farming is the principal method used to acquire the raw material for products like fur coats, fur bedspreads, lining, comforters, rugs and more. Farmed animal pelts contribute 85% of the total worldwide fur production, and most farms can be found in Europe and Russia. Mink and fox are raised only in fur farms. Fur farming is generally considered by all but the staunchest adversaries of the fur trade to be a more humane way to harvest the material as the animals are well fed and protected from predators throughout their lifetimes.
Finally, another source of fur is the culling of over-populations of some species of wildlife, or due to the need to destroy animals that have started to stalk people as prey, or have infringed on territories of farmers and ranchers and brought about unacceptable losses to these industries. Culling of wild creatures is subject to a great deal of controversy, as the wildlife activists on both sides of the argument are very outspoken. Nevertheless, most pelts from this type of activity are traded to furriers to be treated and made into fur products.
Furrier guilds first began organizing in 14th-century Europe and many of those same guilds persist today. Primarily family-run enterprises comprised of specialized artisans, fur production is a labor-intensive process that involves several complicated steps. Since every pelt is unique, the process can never be automated. Having survived 700 years of major societal and economic paradigm shifts - assuming people will have a interest in having real fur in the future - these guilds will continue as they always have.
Those who like and can afford fur will not stop buying it. It is unrivaled when it comes to natural warmth and has a characteristic and unique look and feel that synthetic furs are unable to duplicate. And, one must always remember that synthetic look-alikes are produced using petrochemicals, which is certainly not an environmentally friendly process. Not only are vital resources being used to produce this product, but the end result is not bio-degradable. .
Regrettably, poachers still operate in the wild, hunting endangered species for their furs and other body parts because, simply put, there exists a market for them. As long as people want banned, hard-to-obtain things, someone will find a way to supply it. And for the poachers, the harder it is to deliver, the more money there is to be made. On the other hand poaching in virtually every country in the world is a criminal offense and law enforcement agencies are taking the initiative to police safeguarded wildlife areas. Additionally, there is a worldwide effort to protect endangered species and stop the trafficking of these illegal goods.
It is important to remember that good wildlife management programs do exist throughout the world. In fact, there was an International Fur Federation agreement struck in 1997 that outlined humane and acceptable trapping standards for all trappers worldwide. This policy has been supported by most of the major nations active in the fur trade, including Russia, the EU, and of course the United States.
The fur industry will continue to strive to satisfy the demands of its customers, but they understand the conflict in the industry, so they have pledged to continue to keep an eye on trapping and farming methods. Their goal is to maintain healthy animal populations and ecosystems while providing a means to produce a highly coveted product. For those in search of fur products, whether to wear or to decorate their homes, it is important to always check the source of their furs, and buy only from those distributors who are committed to wildlife management through sustainable harvesting practices.
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Copyrights Reserved.
The fur industry employs hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide as trappers, farmers, furriers and others such as merchants and wholesalers. Furs are gathered by trappers in the wild who must observe strict wildlife management regulations. First and foremost, no endangered species may be trapped for their fur, and populations of wild animals have to be monitored to ensure a species does not end up on the endangered species list.
Fur proponents maintain that proper wildlife management helps prevent overpopulation of any single species, which can upset a delicate eco-system and ultimately can lead to habitat destruction, disease and starvation, and these supporters have evidence to back up this claim. Opponents debate that no matter how it's put, trapping is inhumane and ultimately causes suffering and death not only of the intended prey, but also of many creatures that inadvertently stepped into a trap meant for another species.
Traditional traps are still used which, animal rights groups point out, cause animals to suffer while still still living, whether from the trap itself or an trauma that has been self-inflicted in an effort to get free. A growing number of trappers have moved to soft traps as a way to avoid these eventualities. Soft traps are built to catch the animal without wounding it and causing it to suffer unnecessarily.
Fur farming is the principal method used to acquire the raw material for products like fur coats, fur bedspreads, lining, comforters, rugs and more. Farmed animal pelts contribute 85% of the total worldwide fur production, and most farms can be found in Europe and Russia. Mink and fox are raised only in fur farms. Fur farming is generally considered by all but the staunchest adversaries of the fur trade to be a more humane way to harvest the material as the animals are well fed and protected from predators throughout their lifetimes.
Finally, another source of fur is the culling of over-populations of some species of wildlife, or due to the need to destroy animals that have started to stalk people as prey, or have infringed on territories of farmers and ranchers and brought about unacceptable losses to these industries. Culling of wild creatures is subject to a great deal of controversy, as the wildlife activists on both sides of the argument are very outspoken. Nevertheless, most pelts from this type of activity are traded to furriers to be treated and made into fur products.
Furrier guilds first began organizing in 14th-century Europe and many of those same guilds persist today. Primarily family-run enterprises comprised of specialized artisans, fur production is a labor-intensive process that involves several complicated steps. Since every pelt is unique, the process can never be automated. Having survived 700 years of major societal and economic paradigm shifts - assuming people will have a interest in having real fur in the future - these guilds will continue as they always have.
Those who like and can afford fur will not stop buying it. It is unrivaled when it comes to natural warmth and has a characteristic and unique look and feel that synthetic furs are unable to duplicate. And, one must always remember that synthetic look-alikes are produced using petrochemicals, which is certainly not an environmentally friendly process. Not only are vital resources being used to produce this product, but the end result is not bio-degradable. .
Regrettably, poachers still operate in the wild, hunting endangered species for their furs and other body parts because, simply put, there exists a market for them. As long as people want banned, hard-to-obtain things, someone will find a way to supply it. And for the poachers, the harder it is to deliver, the more money there is to be made. On the other hand poaching in virtually every country in the world is a criminal offense and law enforcement agencies are taking the initiative to police safeguarded wildlife areas. Additionally, there is a worldwide effort to protect endangered species and stop the trafficking of these illegal goods.
It is important to remember that good wildlife management programs do exist throughout the world. In fact, there was an International Fur Federation agreement struck in 1997 that outlined humane and acceptable trapping standards for all trappers worldwide. This policy has been supported by most of the major nations active in the fur trade, including Russia, the EU, and of course the United States.
The fur industry will continue to strive to satisfy the demands of its customers, but they understand the conflict in the industry, so they have pledged to continue to keep an eye on trapping and farming methods. Their goal is to maintain healthy animal populations and ecosystems while providing a means to produce a highly coveted product. For those in search of fur products, whether to wear or to decorate their homes, it is important to always check the source of their furs, and buy only from those distributors who are committed to wildlife management through sustainable harvesting practices.
Reproduction permitted only if all active links are maintained and byline is preserved, and/or your byline is omitted. 2011 All Copyrights Reserved.
About the Author:
For high quality, real fur bedspreads author Stephen Daniels highly recommends the high quality products produced by Trailside Traditions. The owner has been in this business for more than 20 years, and takes pride in the quality of the fur he uses, and gets from his eco-responsible suppliers.
Posting Komentar