Vintage Fur – How to Clean, Store and Sell It!

We’ve talked about the ethics of vintage furs, and one of our awesome blog followers requested a follow up about the cleaning and resale of vintage furs. Since we try to be accommodating, and it is great info to have for any interested reseller, we decided to put our best foot forward and compile this handy information. If you are ever in doubt as to what you should do with your vintage furs, the absolute best thing you could do is take it to an experienced furrier. Otherwise, these tips are things we do when listing vintage furs.

Cleaning up Vintage Furs

Ok, so you found some vintage furs. They may be in great shape, or less than great condition. Real fur does have a slight odor, as it is an animal product. It shouldn’t be really stinky or smell mildewy. Particularly smelly items are spritzed lightly… well sometimes heavily and repeatedly with vodka and hung outside to air out. I frequently focus on the lining. We always turn the garments inside out and steam the lining. Steam not only removes wrinkles. It also kills odor-causing bacteria and microorganisms.

Furs should not be dry cleaned traditionally, as many use chemical processes that would deteriorate the fatty acids from the skins, making the fur more susceptible to dry damage. Simply using a soft brush to smooth the fur is also a great way to restore luster and freshen it up.

Similarly, vintage furs should also be cleaned professionally each year by an experienced furrier to keep it looking it’s best. Furriers clean and condition the furs to increase their longevity and shine.

Repairing Vintage Furs

Although severe damage should absolutely be handled by a professional furrier, small holes can easily be repaired even if you are not an excellent seamstress. Fur naturally hides small imperfections, so as long as the hide is not dry and cracking, you can make small repairs pretty easily. Our preferred method of repairing vintage furs is to use a leather needle with cord thread. Remember to disclose any repairs in your listings.

Furriers also often offer professional storage packages, which you should consider if your fur is very valuable. Max Zeller Furs is located in West Hartford CT and West Springfield MA and has been in fur storage and repairing for almost 100 years. Storing fur at home should be in a dark closet, away from heat and not in a plastic bag (fur needs air flow).

Let’s Sell Those Furs!

If you are looking to sell your vintage fur finds, there are some things you should consider. Know where to list your furs. We sell most of our furs on Poshmark, eBay, and in our booth (Vintage Roots) at the Vermont Antique Mall. Facebook Marketplace prohibits the sale of endangered species fur. Since I am often unsure of fur type, I usually don’t post vintage furs for sale there. Also, even if your fur is from an unendangered species, your vintage fur may get flagged by anti-fur people. We have found the trouble to list furs there and appeal flagged listings to simply not be worth it.

We recommend using the global shipping in eBay. Lots of vintage furs seem to sell internationally and it is super easy. eBay handles the shipping through the international leg of the trip! All you need to do is send it to the designated eBay US shipping facility.

As always, for best results you will want to consult a fur expert. If you are a casual fur flipper, or someone looking for what to do with your inherited furs, these tips should help you! Drop us a note or share a photo of your fave vintage fur find on our Instagram.