Introduction To The Color And Texture Of Artificial Fur And How To Distinguish It

What is faux fur?

Faux fur is most commonly a knitted synthetic fabric made from a blend of acrylic and polyester fibers. Note that its construction may vary, as faux fur can be made by other techniques such as weaving or tufting, and can be infused with other materials such as wool or cotton.

faux fur color

Color-wise, simple solid-color faux fur is the most popular variety, but faux fur also comes in prints in a variety of colors (and colors that don’t exist in nature).

Advances in faux fur manufacturing technology have proven that the distinction between faux fur and real fur is almost impossible, especially animal prints. You can now get the look of real animal skins without hurting any of our favorite critters.

faux fur texture

In addition to color, manufacturers are also able to match specific fur textures with impressive accuracy. We offer faux fur fabrics that feel (and look) like authentic yak, rabbit, leopard, alpaca, weasel,  and more. These different types of faux fur textures are a great way to add depth and make sewing more visually interesting projects.

How to distinguish between real fur and faux fur?

Faux fur feels a little rough; real fur is much smoother. But be careful! The quality of faux fur is only getting better, making it harder and harder to tell the difference by touch alone.

If you look closely at the roots of real fur, you will see a wide variety of hair types and colors. When it comes to faux fur, however, every hair is equally thick and long.

Try to pierce the base layer the fur is attached to. This is much easier with faux fur because the base is just fabric, not leather.

For the truly brave among us: try pulling a few hairs from the fabric and set them on fire. If your hair melts and smells of plastic, you're dealing with faux fur. But if it looks and smells almost exactly like burnt human hair, then what you've got is definitely the real deal.