traveling with furs

[Lil Dragonfly]

I will be going on vacation soon and am wondering whats the best way to travel with furs? Won't they get squashed in the suitcase?

[JGalanos]

You did not specify your mode of transportation.

 

Honestly, with the nightmare air travel has become I'm not sure I'd take a fur with me if traveling via plane. Several years ago (pre-9/11) I took a fox coat with me to Montreal in a hard sided suitcase and had no issues. But in my experience post 9/11 unless you are traveling first or business class air travel sucks for you and your luggage.

 

I took a faux fur with me to Toronto last fall on Amtrak, packing it into a small suitcase, and had no issues. It was the only thing in the suitcase and it arrived fresh and ready to wear when the temperature dropped the night I attended the theater. If the temperature had warranted it, I would not have hesitated to pack one of my mink jackets in the suitcase (versus the faux fur jacket I took with me).

 

If traveling by car (which is how my furs typically go on vacation) I recommend placing fur in a breathable garment bag (I've always asked my furrier to include one with the purchase of a new coat) and then either hanging the fur on a hook in the back seat or simply laying the fur on top of luggage in the trunk. My furs have traveled to New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Detroit, Minneapolis, Toronto, and other cities in this manner and arrived in perfect condition.

 

Would be curious to hear of others experiences ... I'm not an expert ... Just a blabbermouth ...

 

[Worker 11811]

We bought our fur coat in New York City but we had it shipped to our home in Pennsylvania because out-of-state sales aren't subject to sales tax. (That saved us about $100 in taxes.) When we received it from the furrier, it was packed in a cardboard box. It was wrapped in two layers of white tissue and packed loosely inside a plastic bag. The coat was folded fur sides together with the arms tucked inside. We took it out of the box, fluffed it up a little and hung it on a hanger. You would probably never know it had been packed in a cardboard box.

 

So, as far as physically traveling with a fur, I don't see a problem if you carefully fold it and pack it in a suitcase. My problems would be security and administrative hassles. You have to make sure it doesn't get lost or stolen. If you are traveling outside the country you might have to show proof that you bought it in your home country to avoid paying import taxes.

 

Depending on WHERE you travel and HOW you get there, I don't see much problem taking your furs along if you are careful.

[samurman]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have to leave several fur coats at a storage facility in large suitcases for periods up to three months. I have been storing them this way for the past two year, and so far, none of them seems to have suffered any damage. I take extra care while folding them and try to limit the number of coats in a single suitcase. Obviously, I am not advising this as a preferred method of storing or transporting furs. Nevertheless, I am continually amazed at the durability and resilience of furs.

[JGalanos]

I am continually amazed at the durability and resilience of furs.

 

 

Me too!

 

[FurLoverinFL]

I've boxed and shipped furs from NY to Florida. Despite being packed in the usual cardboard boxes, surrounded by those air cushion thingys, and inside plastic bages, they arrived fine, and after being fluffed, then hung up for a day or two, they were absolutely fine. I've packed them in suitcases and garment bags with no ill effects whatsoever. Just give them a little time to fulff and air out and you and your furs will be fine!

 

FLinFL