Faux Fur Fashions Made Possible by Plastic

Runways in New York, Paris, Milan and London this winter shared one look in common—faux fur. And faux fur is back this spring, with brighter hues and wilder patterns and textures.

Modern faux furs trace their origins to the mid 1950s, with the introduction of acrylic fibers as replacements for alpaca hair. These plastic fibers were a significant advancement because they could provide the bulk required to imitate real fur without the weight associated with other faux fur fabrics. They were also easier to color and texture than alpaca fibers, allowing the faux fur to reproduce the colors and patterns of real animals.

Plastic producers later that decade found that acrylic fibers could be made even more fur-like and fire resistant by mixing them with other types of plastic. These new “co-polymers,” called modacrylics, are now used to create the primary plastic fiber in faux fur.

Faux fur is not only an animal-free fashion option, it’s far more innovative, adaptable and fashion-forward than real fur. Modacrylic and acrylic fibers are lightweight and springy, imparting a fluffy quality to the garment. They also are highly resistant to heat, sunlight, soot and smoke – and you can throw them in the washing machine.

What is on the horizon for faux fur? Donna Karan’s DKNY spring 2010 collection featured a metallic faux-fur wrap coat while Dolce & Gabbana paired cherry-red leopard print shorts with a chunky red faux-fur jacket. Faux fur turned up on cold-weather items like mittens and boots but also made its way down the runway on clutches and even headbands. We hope this is long-lasting trend!