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Original poster

To sell my mums fur coats??

225 replies

TheCalmingManatee · 23/09/2012 17:20

They are real fur (im not sure what they are, i think there are a couple of rabbit so less value) all vintage, she has five of them Shock I haven't a clue where she got them from, she wouldn't have bought them new, they are at least 40 years old.

Now I am categorically anti-fur, have taken part in demos etc in my past. And a rather questionable sit in in a fur department of a posh department store in my rebellious youth Blush So, i really don't want to be supporting the fur-trade in any way shape or form. But i have noticed that there seems to be a bit of a revival for vintage fur coats.

Yesterday whilst visiting a collectors fair i noticed coats similar to my mother's for £500, you could have knocked me over wiht a feather. I asked the guy if the woman selling them (she wasn't there) was interested in buying fur and he said she was. I have spoken to my mum and she is interested, well she had actually asked me to take them to the charity shop for her a couple of months back.

AIBU to think i could get a reasonable sum for these? I would never myself wear a fur coat, vintage or otherwise and i would imagine that many other people would feel the same way as i do. I would be (on my mums behalf - but actually im willing to bet she would share the pickings!) very VERY happy to get £200 each for the coats, if she is selling them for 5!!!!

I have an underlying feeling that im mad though!

OP posts:
SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:25

Rowanhart Grin I love a good debate on a Sunday evening.

GoldShip · 23/09/2012 22:26

If I had all the time and money in the world I wouldn't go near an unethical product, as I don't I have to put trust in the company I am buying from. With obvious things like makeup, clothes etc I will do research first.

You saying I can't comment is ridiculous. Shall we all just buy fur coats and not bother because somewhere down the line we've contributed to something unethical? Of course not. Sheer idiocy.

missymoomoomee · 23/09/2012 22:27

Saskia you are comparing an animal being murdered and suffering a long and painful death and someone making money out of that to the vague possibility that a child may have made a part in a computer?

However assuming your argument stands, then as op is also using a computer or phone, then the op is still doing more harm than Gold by selling on dead animals as well as exploting children and the environment.

greenhill · 23/09/2012 22:32

goldship ethical shopping is a minefield isn't it? You take so many things on trust with a reputable company, then can still find out that they have outsourced or used subsidiaries and your careful research has all been for nothing. Did you see my post in reply to yours? we xposted.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:32

Goldship where did I say you couldn't comment? You are perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I'm also allowed to say your perspective is flawed.

Nor did I suggest we should buy fur coats, why would I? I think they're the stuff of nightmares, both literally and figuratively.

You don't need to limit your research to cosmetics etc. It is perfectly possibly to do research when you buy a phone, computer or laptop - I know, because I did.

What I am saying is that before you criticise other people for their ethical choices, you take a look at your own.

And no, what I'm saying is not 'sheer idiocy'. However, what you are saying sounds well-meaning but hypocritical.

sudaname · 23/09/2012 22:34

Yes Rowan and a necklace from her gallstones. The possibilities are endless.

Reminds me of the time l ran a chainstore seconds stall and one day me and another equally bored stallholder decided to start a petition to 'Save the baby polyesters, buy acrylic' pinned it up outside my stall and got about 16 signatures.

We were just pissing besides ourselves laughing more with each passer by who signed. Had to take it away in the end or would have pulled something. Grin

Ahem - sorry back to thread. l think you arent creating a demand/supply situation as they wont be replaced but on other hand you might start a trend and someone might go out and buy one after admiring your mothers recycled one. So to be completely purist you would have to say no l suppose.

GoldShip · 23/09/2012 22:37

Ah sorry green I missed that! I get updates from PETA but I be honest I think they or some of their members give animal rights a bad name.

Ethical shopping is hard work at times! Even getting tampons can be a problem! I have a few favourite 'safe' companies now though so its much easier. Oriflame for makeup and Iron Fist for clothing :o

saskia point taken. I should take the time to look into it. I think maybe I don't feel as strongly about child labour I've neglected it somewhat :)

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:37

"missymoomoomee" I suggest you do some reading about the industry. it's not a 'vague possibility'. It's very much a reality.

And selling on some aged coats, is in no way comparable to something like the current use of child labour in coltan mining. I suggest you Google that.

Catsmamma · 23/09/2012 22:39

that trend has already started...four years and more recently I have seen people wearing furs, particularly in London

and many trendy stalls in markets buying and selling all sorts of fur coats

Even this far north in the land that fashion forgot fur coats are appearing, the local auction house had four at the last viewing I went to.

I'd sell them for sure, and if your ma has a fox fur stole with the beady eyes please PM me!

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:41

GoldShip Please do Thanks I didn't give much thought to it for years, but then I read a report about it, did some more reading and it was horrible stuff. I wish more people know because then we could all put pressure on the manufacturers to clean their act up.

missymoomoomee · 23/09/2012 22:42

Thanks for the helpful hint Saskia but you and I clearly don't shop in the same places if its a reality in your world, and since I do volunteer for both animal welfare and child welfare charities I think I'll skip the googling and just wait until I go out to india next year thank you all the same.

Rowanhart · 23/09/2012 22:45

Or in other words, I am more self righteous a better person than you so zip it....

GoldShip · 23/09/2012 22:47
Confused
SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:47

missymoomoomee Not sure what your volunteering has to do with anything?!

And if you like, you can bury your head in the sand and pretend your phone and your computer were both built by willing adults working for a reasonable wage, and from components which were mined ethically and without laying large parts of Africa to waste. Doesn't make the reality any less true.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:50

Rowanhart That's me. More concerned with living children than long mink. Gah! I'm a twunt.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 22:53

Long dead mink, not long mink (long mink sounds like a 90s indie band)

missymoomoomee · 23/09/2012 22:54

In other words don't insinuate I don't know what goes on in the world, or insinuate I'm unethical when you know nothing about my life at all.

My phone and computer were built by adults who earn a reasonable wage actually, can you say the same about yours?

But back to the actual issue, rather than trying to patronise others who didn't actually ask for any input....selling a dead animal, knowing how it died is vile.

Rowanhart · 23/09/2012 22:59

Personally I don't know how you sleep.

However, in the game of top trumps I would like to point out I have worked innAfrica and actually seen a lion in its natural habitat. Oh and we walked rather than using jeeps.

What points does that get me on the I'm a much better person and care for the world we live in more than you scale?

Willowisp · 23/09/2012 23:00

Fur is an emotive subject...I'm a massive animal lover but there is something intriguing about a real fur coat...however, fur absolutely looks the best on a happy, living animal. (who's tag line was that ?) I would never ever wear one & I hope the daughter who is left the mink as detailed earlier, disposes of it appropriately.

If you're desperate for money then sell & make a contrubution to PETA who are constantly campaigning against horrific fur slaughter house.

Alternatively I understand there is a charity you can donate to who deliver the fur coats to poverty stricken people in freezing cold climates. Will google to make sure I didn't make that up !

missymoomoomee · 23/09/2012 23:02

I was pointing out that saskia knows nothing at all about my life and she was being totally patronising, rather than point scoring, that may be how you read it, it wasn't how I meant it at all.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 23/09/2012 23:03

Id wear them, personally. The current fur trade needs to be dealt with. Sort the problem at source. Not wearing fur that is already dead is pointless.

For anyone wanting to sell, I met these people today. They will sell for you for a cut, and specialise in vintage fur. Their prices were serious too, but they were definitely selling!

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 23/09/2012 23:04

missymoomoomee Yes, I know mine were because I did a lot of research before I bought them. As you denied all knowledge of exploitation in the manufacturing process it seems unlikely that you have bought ethically. Very few companies can claim that, so it's not believable that you could accidentally buy from them without any prior research.

I'm not patronising anyone. In fact, you are the patronising one; you are imposing your ethics onto the OP and her mother. And you did ask for input when you posted on a public forum. That's how it works: you post stuff, we read it and respond.

edam · 23/09/2012 23:06

I'm a vegetarian so obviously not keen on fur coats. But I do slightly regret turning down the offer of my Great-Aunt's furs when she died 20 years ago. Just on the grounds that they'd have been worth a bob or two and the poor minks were already long-dead by then... (Despite my vehement objections, my Gran did insist on pressing one stole onto me - which I chucked in a bin as soon as my Gran had gone.)

missymoomoomee · 23/09/2012 23:09

I didn't accidently buy them, of course I choose what I buy very carefully, and I also didn't deny all knowledge either. I know that in anything I buy there is only a vague possibility, due to the fact I buy as ethically as possible. I was speaking on behalf of myself when I made that comment as I obviously don't know what other people use.

You assumed something about me, you were wrong.