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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What to do with mink coat

143 replies

LEMtheoriginal · 28/04/2021 14:20

Please don't turn this into an anti fur debate, i hate the fir trade as much as the next person.

I have my mum's fur coat, she died at Christmas.

I don't know what to do with it? I gave a faus fur coat to a friend but obv dudnt want the fur. Just tried a vintage clothes shop and i swear youd have thought i wanted to sell her the scalps of murdered children Hmm

It was my nans before that. The poor ctitters are long passed.

It feels wrong just to discard it for two reasons.

  1. It belonged to my mum and as such there is emotional atrachnent.
  2. It seems pretty disrespectful to the poor bloody mink to just discard it.

I don't care about money, will a charity shop be able to mske use of it?

Any thoughts? I don't want to keep it - feels wrong

OP posts:
Pyewackect · 28/04/2021 23:06

@IHaveBrilloHair

I'd wear it if it fit, it's not new and surely random people on the street would assume its fake anyway? You can't do anything about the fact that it exists.
Yep, I’d do the same. To throw it away would be a dreadful waste.
LibrariesGiveUsPower45321 · 28/04/2021 23:16

I have one from my Gran, I got a quote on it and it’s worth £5. I stuck it in the attic in case of random nuclear winter. At least I’d be warm.

Jamboree01 · 28/04/2021 23:25

Like many on here, I think it would be an awful waste to discard it or cut it up. If you like it, keep it and wear it. If you don’t, store it away until you decide what to do with it.

Anyone with with an ounce of common sense wouldn’t be judgemental about you or anyone else wearing a a coat that your grandmother bought when fur coats were seen as perfectly acceptable. I don’t see anything positive coming from discarding it or destroying it.

Devlesko · 29/04/2021 10:54

I think you should take it out of circulation.
No there's nothing you can do about it now, but I'd certainly not be encouraging others to wear it, would be binned if mine.
Or the animal sanctuaries mentioned above.

RaspberryCoulis · 29/04/2021 10:56

I am a charity shop volunteer and we have a no fit policy. But vintage shops might take it, or sell online.

Jamboree01 · 29/04/2021 17:43

None of this makes any sense to me? Take it out of circulation?

Saucery · 29/04/2021 17:49

I love Tabitha’s idea of returning it to Nature.

Wriggleout · 29/04/2021 17:51

I had this problem. I explored all avenues but ended up selling it on EBay and donating the proceeds to an animal charity. It was worth £700 when it was bought in the 1970s (had the ticket in the pocket), but sold £35 in the end

Oldandcobwebby · 29/04/2021 17:56

Donate it to me, so I can sell it on eBay. Problem solved.

TheDogsMother · 29/04/2021 18:00

Don't throw it away as that would be wasteful. It would be better if someone could get some use out it it and they are in demand at vintage period events. There are many stalls selling them at events like Goodwood Revival so I would put it on eBay and someone else can make use of it/keep it out of landfill.

willstarttomorrow · 29/04/2021 18:02

Surely if someone is looking to buy a fur coat then it is better they buy a vintage one rather than a new one? Obviously the market for vintage fur coats is probably very different to the mega rich who are happy to buy new. Even so, surely it is better from an environmental point of view to buy a coat like the OP's than a fake one and all that involves?

Autocreateusername123 · 29/04/2021 18:22

@willstarttomorrow

Surely if someone is looking to buy a fur coat then it is better they buy a vintage one rather than a new one? Obviously the market for vintage fur coats is probably very different to the mega rich who are happy to buy new. Even so, surely it is better from an environmental point of view to buy a coat like the OP's than a fake one and all that involves?
My thinking too.
SylHellais · 29/04/2021 18:27

This was about 15 years ago now, but I was given a fur coat which has belonged to a relative who died. I might have considered keeping it but the cut was very dated and it looked very ‘real’ so I don’t think it would have passed as fake. No charity shops wanted it but in the end I found a vintage clothes market which were happy to take it.

Proudboomer · 29/04/2021 18:29

I inherited my mil’s fur coat. I chopped it up and used it in my cats beds.

thecatneuterer · 29/04/2021 18:32

@Devlesko

I think you should take it out of circulation. No there's nothing you can do about it now, but I'd certainly not be encouraging others to wear it, would be binned if mine. Or the animal sanctuaries mentioned above.
I agree. It should be thrown away and taken out of circulation. If you somehow give it away or sell it so someone else (with no morals) ends up wearing it, then it normalises the wearing of fur. The more people wear it, the more it will be seen as 'not a problem'.

And, being from an animal charity myself I can confidently state that animal charities definitely won't want it. They only want bedding that can be washed. All rubbish disposal has to be paid for and they don't want something heavy and bulky that will have to be thrown away.

I'm sure you have plenty of other things to remember your mother by OP, you don't need that one.

jaundicedoutlook · 29/04/2021 18:43

Have it made into a piece of furniture. Look at sheepskin stools / ottomans on Etsy then get a local upholsterer to make the coat into that…

willstarttomorrow · 29/04/2021 18:57

Whilst I understand the theoretical arguments for taking fur coats out of circulation, the reality is that there are still people out there looking to buy fur coats. I am past knocking onto middle age and heading into proper old age and wearing fur has not been acceptable or 'normalised since I was a teenager. So whilst it remains legal, surely it is better for those who are okay with wearing fur and looking to buy a fur coat, to buy one that has been in circulation for decades? Even those looking for the retro look would be better buying a dusty old coat off ebay than paying for a cheap fake fur one and the slave labour and environmental damage involved surely? I do not get it myself but understand that other people out there want to wear/look like they are wearing fur. I think I am more comfortable with them buying a decades old fur coat in this scenario.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 29/04/2021 18:58

It might sell ok abroad. Not everywhere is very anti fur and in some places warm fur coat comes very handy.
It would be a shame to just cut it up or destroy it.

willstarttomorrow · 29/04/2021 19:01

And for those suggesting that you turn it into something else, either you are comfortable with fur or you are not. Like most arguements in adulthood, there is not only black or white but mainly grey.

KizzyMoo · 29/04/2021 19:20

Bin it

Jamboree01 · 29/04/2021 19:20

‘Normalises the wearing of fur’???? I don’t think wearing her mum’s fur coat, or gifting it to a person or organisation who could make use of it is going to spark a fur revival.

Ohnomoreno · 29/04/2021 19:24

I got rid of my granny's one on eBay for quite a tidy sum, lots of interest.

user1494050295 · 29/04/2021 19:40

I took a fur coat to the sue Ryder charity shop and the assistant said it was a fabulous coat so I said please have it. Some will take it so do try them

Overdueanamechange · 29/04/2021 19:46

I don't see a problem with wearing vintage fur. I adore mine. I brought it at a charity shop 25 years ago wrongly assuming it was fake. I'm life long vegetarian too BTW.

Suzi888 · 29/04/2021 19:49

Ebay?