Overview of the Fur Trade

Education and Training

Traditional knowledge is  passed from one generation to another, often without the benefit of a written record. In the case of trappers, the forest was the classroom and the trapper’s education was rich in practical experience and observation. When trappers met to trade their harvest at the old fur trading posts, they shared stories, discussed trapping methods and the behaviour of the wildlife in their territories. New methods were developed through practical experience and from the exchange of stories and ideas with other trappers. Times change, and respected trappers like Frank Conibear, Lloyd Cook and Ralph Bice recognized that all trappers could benefit from a more structured learning environment.

Thus, in 1971, Ralph Bice delivered the first formal trapper education course in Elliot Lake, Ontario. Today, trapper education is mandatory in all provincial and territorial jurisdictions across Canada. Trapper education courses cover a multitude of subjects including humane trapping technology, trapper safety, wildlife biology, proper pelt preparation and the latest in government legislation and regulations. Courses are prepared by government agencies in conjunction with trapper associations. The Fur Institute of Canada has also been conducting trapper training workshops in Aboriginal communities. As a result, people on the land that pursue a way of life as old as mankind are able to enjoy a traditional lifestyle while employing state-of-the-art technology and new knowledge.

Likewise, fur farmers benefit from continuous learning. Educational forums, speakers, publications, farm tours and other opportunities to gain knowledge of the latest science and technology are regularly made available and implemented.

Today’s trappers and fur farmers have also made a major investment in sharing knowledge with the public everywhere. Through financial contributions made by those in the fur trade, education programs have been developed to help people understand ways of life that are far removed from urban society.

Trap Research

The long-term objective of the Fur Institute of Canada’s trap research program has always been to provide efficient, humane and safe tools for the trapper. Through its research efforts in partnership with the Alberta Research Council, the Institute has responded to concerns for improvements to animal welfare, the efficiency of animal capture devices and the conservation of wildlife populations. Since its inception in 1983, the Institute’s program has brought together traditional knowledge, science and new technologies in a comprehensive approach to trap improvement. As the Institute’s research partner, the Alberta Research Council’s team of specialists provides the knowledge and infrastructure required to  meet the requirements of the research program and ensure scientific credibility. As a result of this partnership, it is possible to measure progress and continue to innovate as new technologies are developed. The Institute’s program places Canada as the world leader in trap research. In 1997, Canada, Russia and the European Union committed to an Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS ), which sets out trap performance requirements for 19 wild animal species that are trapped for various reasons in those countries. Twelve of these species are found in Canada. The trap research program is currently focused on evaluating trapping devices, using ISO (International Organization for Standardization) testing procedures to determine whether they meet the requirements of the AIHTS. Only those proven to meet these requirements are certified for use.

The Fur Institute of Canada and the Alberta Research Council have sought to develop ways to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the need for using live animals to evaluate trap performance. With advancements in computer technology and, more significantly, the accumulation of data through live animal/trap tests in the testing compound, the research team has developed species-specific computer models that simulate the compound test. Now nearly 90% of all trap testing is done using computer simulations. This allows for less expensive and valid testing, while limiting the need for live animals in the testing process. In addition, the Institute has developed an unparalled database and expertise on trapping and furbearing animals. The Institute’s trap research program has assisted internationally by providing information, expertise and access to technological information to numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Chile and Russia. The Government of Canada, the International Fur Trade Federation, other fur industry sectors, and the provincial and territorial governments support the Institute’s trap research and testing activities. The Institute regularly publishes and updates a list of the traps that meet the animal welfare requirements set out in the AIHTS, which also includes traps that have been certified by the provincial and territorial governments as fulfilling the terms of the AIHTS.  The Canadian trapper has demonstrated international leadership in ensuring that the best possible methods of capture are used in the harvesting of fur bearers.

The Trapper

Long before Europeans arrived in North America, an active trade between the Aboriginal communities of North America existed in furs and other commodities. As the fur trade has evolved over the centuries so have trapping practices. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal trappers have adapted their practices to reflect increased knowledge and understanding of the fur trade and the species they harvest. Today, the success of Canada’s fur trade is as much a recognition of a centuries-old tradition of excellence as it is a modern example of the sound application of conservation principles and sustainable development.

Trapping is highly regulated by the provinces and territories and no endangered species are trapped or used in the fur industry. Maximum quotas protect the animals from being over-harvested while minimum quotas assist with wildlife population control. Under the trapper’s stewardship, wildlife  is carefully managed to ensure healthy populations of the various species found within a specific region.. An example of this diligence is the fact there are more beavers in Canada now than when the European explorers first arrived. In many regions, raccoons, coyotes and foxes are more abundant than they have ever been. Furthermore, as practicing conservationists, trappers play an active role in protecting and restoring wildlife habitat from the onslaught of urban development and from excessive and non-sustainable use of  habitat.

Environmentally aware consumers recognize that the trapping of fur bearers is an excellent working example of the principles of sustainable use. They are also aware that responsible trapping practices are, by definition, both well managed and humane.

While the management of a trapline is a year-round activity, the commercial trapper will capture all fur during the late fall and winter, when the fur is prime. Out-off season trapping occurs only when measures are necessary to control nuisance animals.

The Fur Farmer

Canadians pioneered the art of fur  farming on Prince Edward Island in the late 1800’s. As the century proceeded the extraordinary quality of the farm-raised mink and fox furs firmly established Canada as an innovator in what was to become a highly specialized and extremely competitive international agricultural activity.

Only a person who is interested in animals, and truly cares for them, can become a successful fur farmer.  Working with livestock requires total dedication. Animals must be cared for, fed and watered every day.  Farm animals need constant care and, since they have special needs, they require special housing facilities, carefully balanced diets and optimum conditions for good health and growth.

Fur farmers follow strict Codes of Practice in caring for their animals. In addition, national fur farming associations fund practical research projects for breeding, housing, genetics, nutrition and disease. The resulting information is updated and distributed to the membership on a continuing basis to ensure optimum animal health and care.

Experience and continuing education are vital to the fur rancher because mink, fox and chinchilla require particularly good handling if they are to thrive. If conditions are not adequate, fur quality will be the first thing to suffer and as a small business manager the rancher knows that business will only succeed if the highest possible quality is offered.

The Auction

The first international marketing for Canada’s premier resource began in 1670 with the establishment of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Today, sale by public auction is still the principal method of selling furs, with the majority of all wild furs being sold to buyers at one of two Canadian auction houses. This age-old tradition is a perfect model of market economy where supply and demand will establish the price levels for each fur type. Most trappers deliver their harvest to an auction house on a consignment basis, to be included in the selection offered to buyers at auctions scheduled several times a year.  Upon arrival, each pelt is identified with a bar-coded computer tag that serves as a locator to ensure that each trapper, or shipper, is subsequently paid for their submitted pelts. A team of skilled fur technicians then begins the lengthy process of grading the fur pelts consigned to the auction according to colour, size, sex and quality. The graded furs are then grouped into individual auction lots, receive a “lot” identification number and the “lots” are listed in the auction catalogue. A group of “lots” containing similar pelts are included in what is referred to as a “string”. A representative sample of each lot or string is then displayed to buyers during the inspection period, which precedes the auction sale.During inspection, which can last for 2 to 6 days depending on the size of the auction, fur buyers from around the world examine the samples and note their estimate of the relative value of each lot in their catalogue. Many buyers are professional fur brokers and will purchase goods for a number of manufacturers and retailers. At the auction, buyers compete aggressively to fill their orders. Once the sale is over, the buyers have to pay for their purchases by a stipulated due date, called the “prompt date” (which is usually ten working days after the sale) and give instructions to the auction to deliver the pelts, which can be almost anywhere in the world. The trappers and dealers who consign their fur to the auction receive a report on the auction sale and a cheque for their sold furs, minus the auction commission, and government levies, on the “prompt date”. The report records the price of each pelt, the lot number in which the pelt was included and the grade it received. By allowing individual trappers to include their pelts in a larger selection, the fur auction selling system grants them access to the world marketplace. This system means the offering becomes large enough to attract major fur buyers from around the world, which leads to higher prices for the producers than selling locally.

Processing & Manufacturing

Once the raw fur pelts have been purchased at the auction, the process of tanning, or dressing, is undertaken. Buyers send their fur purchases to their company of choice for this procedure. Currently there are four major dressing plants in Canada and numerous smaller regional companies. The first step in the dressing process renders the raw side to leather, resulting in a supple and workable material. Beaver, muskrat and mink are often sheared to remove the long guard hairs to reveal the soft down of the undercoat. The resulting  finish can be dyed to fashion hues destined for style-conscious consumers around the world. Canadian dressers use environmentally friendly products and are strictly regulated by both provincial and federal law. Interestingly, the products used in the greatest quantity by fur dressers are sawdust and starch, both entirely natural products and totally biodegradable. Once a bundle of furs is dressed, it is returned to the manufacturer where the design process begins. Manufacturers incorporate production techniques and patterns that fit with fashion trends.. Skilled technicians stretch pelts, and often slice them into strips as small as a quarter of an inch, allowing for these pieces to be twirled, woven, knit, sewn onto fabric, or even sewn back together to create a range of innovative looks, depending on the pattern. It takes an experienced eye and a steady hand; there is no room for error. The pelts are then sewn together according to the designer’s pattern to eventually create the vision started at the drawing board. It is meticulous work, requiring all of the furrier’s considerable talent and expertise gained through years of experience, to transform individual skins into a  fashion garment in a process, which may take as many as 60 hours from start to finish. The majority of Canada’s fur manufacturers are based in Toronto and Montreal, and ship high-quality fashion furs to customers around the world.

The Consumer

Canadian wild and farmed furs grace the winter wardrobes of millions of discriminating consumers around the world. The majority of Canada’s fur production is shipped to fashion centres in New York, Milan, Paris, Hong Kong, and Seoul. On the world’s fashion runways, there are now remarkable combinations that integrate fur and textiles in the design of fur coats, jackets, wraps, hats, trims and accessories, using innovative techniques such as knitting, weaving, twirling and grooving. Fur has truly become a fashion staple, and has even moved into the realm of home décor.

Environmentally aware consumers recognize that the trapping of fur bearers is an excellent working example of the principles of sustainable use. They are also aware that responsible trapping practices are, by definition, both well managed and humane.

While the international marketplace provides the financial impetus for the fur trade, an unseen group of consumers reaps vast benefit from wild furbearer resources. In remote areas, the fur harvest provides both cash income and an important food source where most groceries come from the wild. Muskrat stew, roast beaver and fried lynx are regular and delicious menu items in a country kitchen. Furs are fashioned into coats, cuffs, collars, hats and mittens that are protection from temperatures that can plunge to a bone chilling -50°C for days at a time.

Together, the people of the fur trade, from trappers and fur farmers through to the consumer, play an active role in conserving precious natural resources and demonstrating the success of a conscientiously applied strategy of sustainable development, as set out by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The fur trade is strictly regulated, and uses no endangered species. In fact, because of good wildlife management, many furbearers are more abundant today than ever before.