Yellowing of fox fur

[Guest]

I'm looking at maybe buying a fur coat but there are a lot of yellow spots on it. If it has a lot of yellow does that mean the fur is damaged or not soft anymore? What causes yellowing and does that do to the fur?

[AKcoyote]

Yellowing of light colored furs is generally oxidation of the fur which is a natural process that can be enhanced by over-exposure to strong sunlight. Yellowing can also occur if the fur is exposed to a lot of tobacco smoke.

 

Yellowing of white and other light colored furs is something that should be seriously considered before buying any light colored furs. I have heard that yellowed furs can be bleached to lighten them, but I would think that could be expensive and I have no knowledge if that is an available process.

[Guest]

The seller is asking $300 US for the coat which is an extra large artic fox hip length coat which is at least 15 years old and is quite yellowed but it is for bedroom play. Would this be a reasonable price and would the fur still be as soft as a not yellowing coat?

[AKcoyote]

Unfortunately until you can examine the garment first-hand, it is impossible to properly answer your questions. There is a strong possibility that the pelts of a 15 year old garment have dried out and the garment is about to start falling apart. Dried out pelts are stiff, have lost their flexibility, and will tear apart under any stress. As to softness, that would mostly depend on how the garment was used and what care it received.

 

In summary, I would generally recommend against buying any used fur when you cannot examine the garment first-hand BEFORE handing over your money.

[furlvman1]

In my experience, yellow fox is just as soft but less visually stimulating. It's older so I would guess it's lifespan is less, though for bedroom play that may not matter.