Rabbit Fur coat

lookingglass · Jun 30, 2006

After my grandmother passed away I inherited a rabbit fur coat from circa 1950. It's a beautiful piece of vintage clothing, but it's still made out of fur. I don't know what to do with it, and I don't want to give it to PETA to have them throw red paint on it. Anyone have suggestions on what to do with it?

marie-p · Jun 30, 2006

You could always sell it and give the money to an animal rescue organization. Those rabbits are already dead, but at least this way some good could come out of it.

I think that would help animals more than the red paint thing.

Or if you don't feel right about selling it, you can always give the rabbits a proper burial.

abacat · Jun 30, 2006

If you don't want to throw it away I know there are companies that will turn it into a teddy bear or other stuffed animal for you. That way you get to keep it without wearing it. I won't wear fur either but I think this is a good option.

annasmom · Jun 30, 2006

This is a tough one. I imagine your torn between keeping a piece of family history to pass down someday and your own beliefs about fur. As stated earlier, the rabbits are already dead, and were likely dead before your birth so I would not feel guilty about having it properly packaged and stored to keep it in the family. On the other hand, I really like the idea of selling it and giving the money to an animal protection group... a living legacy.

flisssweetpea · Jun 30, 2006

Maybe you could give it to a Museum. That way you wouldn't feel as if you were making money from it - but its place in history would be preserved without making a statement as to how we view such items today. If that makes sense

A couple of years ago I had a fascinating walk around the Victoria and Albert Museum in London who have an exhibition of clothing through the ages. There may be something like that near to you.

hell603 · Jun 30, 2006

"You could always sell it and give the money to an animal rescue organization. Those rabbits are already dead, but at least this way some good could come out of it."

On ebay there is always a taker and the $ would be of good use to possibly your local shelter!

menagerie mama · Jun 30, 2006

Originally Posted by marie-p

You could always sell it and give the money to an animal rescue organization. Those rabbits are already dead, but at least this way some good could come out of it.

I think that would help animals more than the red paint thing.

Or if you don't feel right about selling it, you can always give the rabbits a proper burial.

That's a great idea!

gingersmom · Jun 30, 2006

Originally Posted by Abacat

If you don't want to throw it away I know there are companies that will turn it into a teddy bear or other stuffed animal for you. That way you get to keep it without wearing it. I won't wear fur either but I think this is a good option.

Someone I know did this with her grandmother's old mink coat, and having seen the final product, I heartily agree that this is a great way to preserve a part of the family heirloom.

zissou'smom · Jun 30, 2006

My policy is that I won't wear any new leather or fur. If you get something as an heirloom or get it secondhand, you're not really supporting the industry, as a matter of fact you're unsupporting it because the more used clothing made out of them on the market, the less new ones people buy, the less market there is for new ones, and the fewer animals die for fashion. So if you sell it on ebay or however else, that may be a person who would've boughten a new one instead. And then you can donate the money to a shelter.
Whatever you do, don't give anything to PeTA.

I think what's really important though is to think about what your grandmother would have wanted. I doubt she would have wanted you to sell it. If you don't want it, is there anyone else in the family who would enjoy it? There's no sense in having it packed away in a box for years when someone else in your family could actually be enjoying it.

lookingglass · Jun 30, 2006

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

My policy is that I won't wear any new leather or fur. If you get something as an heirloom or get it secondhand, you're not really supporting the industry, as a matter of fact you're unsupporting it because the more used clothing made out of them on the market, the less new ones people buy, the less market there is for new ones, and the fewer animals die for fashion. So if you sell it on ebay or however else, that may be a person who would've boughten a new one instead. And then you can donate the money to a shelter.
Whatever you do, don't give anything to PeTA.

I think what's really important though is to think about what your grandmother would have wanted. I doubt she would have wanted you to sell it. If you don't want it, is there anyone else in the family who would enjoy it? There's no sense in having it packed away in a box for years when someone else in your family could actually be enjoying it.

My Mom found a vintage clothing person in Atlanta that is willing to restore it. We were thinking about donating it to a clothing museum, because it's a beautiful piece. Now we just have to find one.

jasper · Jun 30, 2006

Actually, you SHOULD give it to PETA. They aren't going to do anything bad to it. They have a program during the cold months that they give donated furs to homeless people. They don't waste things like that. I suggest looking into something before you disregard it as being bad. If you go to their website, you can find the information on where to send it to, and its tax deductible.

shengmei · Jun 30, 2006

Originally Posted by marie-p

You could always sell it and give the money to an animal rescue organization. Those rabbits are already dead, but at least this way some good could come out of it.

I think that would help animals more than the red paint thing.

That is a great idea!!!

Beyonce recently auctioned off a dinner with her to raise money for some kind of animal-related charity.

PETA somehow was the highest bid, and they showed up with a whole bunch of protesters because Beyonce wears fur. The restaurant eventually threw them out.

From what I heard Beyonce would never auction off a dinner with her to raise money for charity again.

What a loss.

zissou'smom · Jun 30, 2006

"Actually, you SHOULD give it to PETA. They aren't going to do anything bad to it. They have a program during the cold months that they give donated furs to homeless people. They don't waste things like that. I suggest looking into something before you disregard it as being bad. If you go to their website, you can find the information on where to send it to, and its tax deductible."

Why would anyone want to donate to an organization that runs a kill shelter with a higher rate of euthanasia than the local pound???? Also, they won't necessarily give it to homeless people and the only reason they do at all is to make a political statement, it's certainly not out of concern for humans: "Fur giveaways also counteract furriersâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] efforts to portray fur as an upscale, trendy status symbol. In fact, the overwhelming influx of fur into our office shows that fur has hit rock bottom. PETA has also sent hundreds of donated furs to help freezing Afghan refugees, used coats in educational displays in schools and libraries, redecorated them as â€œbloodyâ€ props for street-theater-style protests, and given them to wildlife rehabilitators to use as bedding for orphaned animals"

I think a clothing museum is a great idea because it will honor your grandmother without making you uncomfortable! Good luck finding one.

shengmei · Jun 30, 2006

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

"Actually, you SHOULD give it to PETA. They aren't going to do anything bad to it. They have a program during the cold months that they give donated furs to homeless people. They don't waste things like that. I suggest looking into something before you disregard it as being bad. If you go to their website, you can find the information on where to send it to, and its tax deductible."

Why would anyone want to donate to an organization that runs a kill shelter with a higher rate of euthanasia than the local pound???? Also, they won't necessarily give it to homeless people and the only reason they do at all is to make a political statement, it's certainly not out of concern for humans: "Fur giveaways also counteract furriers’ efforts to portray fur as an upscale, trendy status symbol. In fact, the overwhelming influx of fur into our office shows that fur has hit rock bottom. PETA has also sent hundreds of donated furs to help freezing Afghan refugees, used coats in educational displays in schools and libraries, redecorated them as “bloody” props for street-theater-style protests, and given them to wildlife rehabilitators to use as bedding for orphaned animals"

I think a clothing museum is a great idea because it will honor your grandmother without making you uncomfortable! Good luck finding one.

I agree with this.

There are lots of places to donate it to.

Personally, though, I would probably made it into a rug. Rabbit fur rugs are awesome.

Edited for typo.

lookingglass · Jun 30, 2006

I was thinking about asking Kent State University, or at least having them point me in the right direction.

As for the ideas about making it into something else, I suggested the teddy bear idea to Mom too, so she is now looking into that. If it were up to me I'd do the rug idea. My grandmother was an accomplished seamstress, and would have liked the idea of taking something that is no longer fashionable and making into something useful. She was always doing stuff like that with our old clothes.

katl8e · Jun 30, 2006

I've been wearing my rabbit fur jacket, for about 15 years and don't intend to give it up.

One of my friends buys old, ratty furs and makes dolls and teddy bears out of them. When my ex-MIL died, we gave Denise her old muskrat coat.

zissou'smom · Jul 1, 2006

"I was thinking about asking Kent State University, or at least having them point me in the right direction"

Oh, like the fashion museum in Rockwell? It's a great place, I wonder if they have space for it. Hopefully they do! I know alot of those fashion design majors would LOVE to get their hands on a vintage fur!

fwan · Jul 1, 2006

What about the butchers that kill rabbits and rip the skin/fur off. is it bad to produce something from something we eat?

My cousin bought a leather jacket, i totally fell in love with it, untill she told me it was rabbit skin. I got really upset, but then she told me "what about those people who eat rabbits and think its normal? isnt it a waste to throw away their precious fur and skin?"

I have really mixed feelings about it

lookingglass · Jul 1, 2006

Originally Posted by fwan

What about the butchers that kill rabbits and rip the skin/fur off. is it bad to produce something from something we eat?

My cousin bought a leather jacket, i totally fell in love with it, untill she told me it was rabbit skin. I got really upset, but then she told me "what about those people who eat rabbits and think its normal? isnt it a waste to throw away their precious fur and skin?"

I have really mixed feelings about it

I see your point, but I don't like to wear fur. It creeps me out.

fwan · Jul 1, 2006

Originally Posted by lookingglass

I see your point, but I don't like to wear fur. It creeps me out.

I don't like it either, but I mean the leather?

Rabbit Fur coat

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