 |
|
|
|
Preparing
the Furs: Turning Fur
into Fashion
|
|
In the spring,
skins were sent to manufacturers, usually in Europe. There,
they had the fur removed and sorted into course (thick) hair and
fine hair. The coarse hairs were used to make the inner layers of
the hat and covered with varnish to make them waterproof. The fine
hair was used to coat the outer layer. As for the skins, they were
used in making items such as gloves, suitcases and glue. Other kinds
of furs, such as mink, were fashioned into other items of clothing,
such as coats.
By August
or September, they had been made into clothing and were ready
for sale when winter arrived.
 |
|
Making
hats was a dangerous job. In order to make the felt, the hatters
used a "carroting" mixture that had mercury in it. This made
the furs better for felt-making, and was invented by the English
between 1720 and 1740. While they worked they could not help
breathe in its fumes, which were poisonous. The fumes damaged
their brains and caused some of them to go insane, which is
where the saying "mad as a hatter" comes from.
|
 |
|
Why
were animals usually caught in the winter?
|
Page
1
2
Back
to Stories Page
|
