Fur Farming

Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur. The animal most commonly farmed for its fur is the mink. As of 2003, Denmark had the largest fur-farming industry of mink, with 35% of world production.Fur farming takes place mainly in Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands in Europe. China with its huge fur industry is the largest importer and re-exporter of fur in the world. Fur farming is banned in Austria, Croatia, and the United Kingdom. In Switzerland, the regulations for fur farming are very strict, with the result that there are no fur farms. Some other countries have a ban on fur farming of certain types of animals. Demand fell in the late 1980s and 1990s because of a number of factors, including the failure of designers to come up with exciting new lines, and also the efforts of animal rights campaigners. Since the turn of the millennium, however, sales worldwide have soared to record highs, fuelled by radically new techniques for working with fur, and a sharp rise in disposable income in China and Russia.