1. What is sheared mink exactly?
Mink becomes sheared mink when the more-coarse guard-hair is sheared away leaving only the softer under-fur. Sheared mink then looks and feels like velvet.
2. Why is sheared mink growing in popularity, achieving the major share of large ticket fur sales recently?
a. Sheared mink fits more occasions
Many purchasers feel sheared mink is more appropriate for more formal, less formal and even casual occasions thank BLACKGLAMA® mink or other furs.
b. Sheared mink looks and feels like velvet. Many purchasers today like sheared mink because it does not look like fur, and an equal number of purchasers today do not like sheared mink because it does not look like fur.
c. Sheared mink is light weight yet warm. Sheared mink is lighter in weight than sheared beaver or BLACKGLAMA® mink and sheared mink is warm except under the most extreme weather when BLACKGLAMA® mink and sheared beaver are warmer.
d. Many sheared mink styles are made reversible. Many sheared mink styles today are reversible to a rainsilk liner or leather. This 2-way garment can be worn sheared mink side out for formal and less formal occasions, or sheared mink on the inside for warmth in more casual occasions.
It’s the same labor cost to put in a rainsilk liner instead of lining and probably only $100 or $200 more for rainsilk, making it a small incremental cost for 2 sheared mink jacket styles in one.
3. What are the different levels of quality including both labor and material?
a. Labor construction is a major factor.
i. Fully let-out then sheared
Sheared mink can be fully let out like a BLACKGLAMA® mink coat so that the skins or run vertically the whole length of the garment. This is the top level of quality construction. Please see “How a Mink Coat is Made” under BLACKGLAMA® mink for an explanation of the letting out process.
ii. Micro-sheared skin-on-skin
Sheared mink where the skins are joined together below the shoulder and “micro-sheared” to reveal a barely noticeable seam is the next level of quality construction.
iii. Scalloped skin-on-skin
Some sheared mink are sheared first and then joined together skin-on-skin with a scalloped-looking edge. This less labor sheared mink is made most of the tail from a mink cousin called a Kolinsky.
4. Sections or sculptured sheared mink. Sheared mink that is sculptured or made from sections is the least expensive in material and labor but it can make for some interesting designs and fashion.
The mink remnants are sewn together into ‘plates’ then sheared and next cut from patterns into garments, just like cashmere coats are made from bolts of fabric this way.
5. Sheared mink origin is an important element of sheared mink quality.
a. Country of origin
Generally, U.S. ranched mink is best, followed very closely by Danish mink, then Finland and Canada, and finally, China, just like long-haired mink starting with BLACKGLAMA® (Great Lakes Mink Association) being the top U.S. mink.
b. Not all sheared mink is made from mink.
Some that are invoiced as sheared mink are actually Kolinsky, a long-haired or Chinese member of the weasel family like mink.
Canadian Fur Company hopes each customer who visited this website found our selection, fashions and prices a worthwhile experience and we welcome your feedback.
