Introducing Cahill's Vintage Fur ID Series

• Posted on 26 January 2024
• By Rob Cahill
• Posted in sustainability, Vintage Fur
• 0

Do you have a vintage/heirloom fur coat hanging in your closet or tucked away in a trunk in the basement?  Based on a 2010 survey, 1 in 3 Canadian homes do (that’s every third home on your street that has a fur coat in the closet.)  This may seem crazy, but before the proliferation of synthetic fashions (made of oil), fur was and still is one of the warmest insulators you can have against winter's cold. In fact, anyone that could afford a fur coat had one or more, along with a range of fur accessories.  A fur coat can last for decades and even generations.  Now that is quality!

With the rise of synthetics, fashion is the second largest polluting industry, second only to oil and gas production.  We would like to do our small part to change this.

The resurgence of vintage and upcycled clothing could play a big role in the reconciliation of luxury and sustainability by reusing the natural clothing items we have hanging in our closet.  

The resurgence of vintage and upcycled clothing could play a big role in the reconciliation of luxury and sustainability by reusing the natural clothing items we have hanging in our closet.  

At Cahill’s, we receive calls almost every day from people wondering what can be done with their vintage furs.  Now we are proud to tell them about Further® by Cahill. We transform the vintage/heirloom coats they have in their closet, into contemporary luxury fashions and home accessories. The possibilities are endless. In the past couple of years, we’ve worked with hundreds of customers to upcycle their fur coats into fur-lined cashmere coats and parkas, vests, hats, pillows, throws, bed runners, scarves, even teddy bears!

The first step to planning an upcycle project is to determine what type of furs you have and more importantly, to assess the condition of your fur. We’ve designed this series to give you the information you need to do this.We’re calling it Cahill’s Vintage Fur Coat ID Series. We will look at the many common and some uncommon fur types, the era they are from, where they were made, as well as share some of the characteristics of the style and colours that were popular at  the time. We will provide some tips on how to assess the quality of the furs, or more importantly the condition of the leather. Then we will discuss what can potentially be made using the fur from the coat.

This is when the fun really begins!  You become a fashion designer, helping us to create new items based on your ideas, your taste and your style.