Kopenhagen Fur

I never thought I would have so much fun at a fur factory. My class took us on a field trip to Kopenhagen Fur, a cooperative that deals in furs. So like Danish Crown, KF is collectively owned by farmers. The building that we visited houses the skinned animals and auctions off the skins to various countries, mostly China, who then process the fur into clothing etc, or sell the furs to other companies.

Once inside the warehouse, we are greeted by rows and rows of dead mink. We also saw rows of fox, chinchilla, lynx, rabbit, seal, and sable fur. Chinchilla fur feels AMAZINGLY soft. For the others... it was creepy seeing dead fox skins. And seriously, after feeling chinchilla, I don't know why anyone would want to wear anything else. They also brought us to a room where we could try on fur coats and wraps. A picture of me in a tye dye shirt and fur coat should be available soon ;-)

The mink are farmed, mostly in Denmark, and die in gas chambers. After being skinned, the bodies are processed into bioenergy, and the cleaned and stretched skins are ready for sale. The foxes are both farmed and hunted. Don't quite remember how the other skins are aquired, but obviously, the seals are hunted.

So, why am I of all people writing an enthusiastic report about FUR? Not gonna lie, the fur coats were cozy and warm. And I am not especially opposed to farming mink for the purpose of fur. What does bother me, however, is hunting animals. For example, most seal species are endangered, or at least very close to being so. Seals belong in the ocean, not in my closet. The foxes.... for me, wearing a fox would be like eating a cat. They're too personable, too furry and cute. I think wearing one is creepy. But chinchilla and mink... I feel as long as they're farmed, it's kind of ok. Not to say I'm going to go out and buy a fancy fur coat.

Environmentally? Well, the mink is raised in Denmark. It lives off of offals from meat production. The furs are shipped to China, where they're processed into clothing etc for cheap, and are then transported to other parts of the world for wear. Do you really need something that's traveled all of the world like this? On the other hand, fake furs have become a popular replacement. But the fake fur is made from synthetic, petroleum materials. OIL. Oil which people are fighting wars over. Oil which can be used to fly a plane to take me home. Oil which the earth is running out of and which humanity doesn't know how to live without.

Websites!
http://www.kopenhagenfur.com/corporate/about+kopenhagen+fur
(general information on Kopenhagen Fur)

http://www.kopenhagenfur.com/corporate/about+kopenhagen+fur/fur+farming
(information on fur farming)

http://www.furisdead.com/
(I couldn't resist including a PETA link. I generally agree with their goals, but their stances are so radical and ridiculous. To my enviros: I'm sorry if being in CPH has made me more Conservative in not being totally against fur, but I feel most things can be acceptable through moderation.)