The value of furs is determined by a number of different parameters, therefore, it is impossible to single out any one animal and declare that its fur is the best. It is more logical to review several of the rarest, warmest and most valuable types of fur. Please note that not all of them are raw materials for the production of fur products.
Vicuna
The most valuable fur in the world is vicuna fur. Vicuña is a cloven-hoofed mammal of the camel family that lives in the cold highlands of Peru and adorns the coat of arms of this country. Forced to exist in a very harsh climate, they have managed to adapt to weather conditions thanks to their amazing coat: thin, soft and extremely warm. For a long time, vicuñas were an object of hunting, therefore, by the beginning of the 20th century, their species was on the verge of extinction. Since the 60s, the killing of these charming creatures has been banned, so fur coats from their skins are no longer sewn. But expensive fabrics are made from sheared wool. The widest range of vicunas wool can be found in Italian luxury brands.
Among the Incas, only representatives of the nobility had the right to wear clothes made of vicuna fur.
Sea otter
Sea otter is a waterfowl animal of the weasel family, a close relative of the otter. The aquatic lifestyle already makes the kalan fur especially valuable due to its water-repellent properties. But its main advantage lies in its structure. It is exceptionally dense, with a density of approximately 50,000 hairs per square centimeter of hide. Fur is almost entirely composed of downy hair, only one percent falls on the guard. By the end of the 19th century, the number of sea otters, whose skins were always highly valued, had significantly decreased, so the mass production of fur products from their fur ceased.
Sable
The dark brown skins of the Barguzin sable are still often called "soft gold" - this is the most expensive fur used for tailoring. The highest price of sable fur is due to its shade: the darker it is, the more expensive it is. They do not sew conveyor products from it, only exclusive models. So, the cost of the cheapest barguzin fur coat starts from 20-30 thousand dollars.
In the past, the inhabitants of the Far East considered sable fur wasteful and could easily exchange a huge amount of skins for a metal cauldron.
Chinchilla
Chinchilla fur is unanimously recognized as the warmest fur in the world. This miniature rodent has not one but 60-80 hairs growing from one hair follicle! Due to this density of the hairline, their fur has phenomenal thermal insulation properties. Like vicuñas, chinchillas have been on the verge of extinction for some time, so today few people have the exclusive right to produce fur coats from their fur. The cost of the cheapest chinchilla fur coat does not fall below the $ 10,000 bar.
