# Why are there no squirrel fur coats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967 "2011-03-25T14:18:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/1 "2011-03-25T14:18:03Z")
Lots of squirrels, everywhere I go in the US. Yet I never saw a mink. So why no squirrel fur coats? Economize people, economize. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/2 "2011-03-25T14:29:17Z")
Squirrels don’t really have that much fur. Sure, they have a big fluffy tail, but not a lot of fur on their body. I’m guessing that making a coat out of a tail would be harder than taking the fur off of the animals body. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/3 "2011-03-25T14:33:08Z")
I have read that with some animals, the fur tends to fall off of the hide, which is another reason for not making fur clothing from certain animals. (Don’t have a cite.) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/4 "2011-03-25T14:33:32Z")
Also, I suspect that if you’re going to make fur coats out of small critters, it’s easier to farm them instead of going and hunting them, in which case you might as well farm chinchillas instead of squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/5 "2011-03-25T14:43:46Z")
[They exist](http://txzhongkai.en.alibaba.com/product/215613739-200285235/Squirrel_fur_coat_with_fox_fur_collar_and_cuff.html). They’re just not that popular and therefore aren’t very common. Also, the heraldic fur called [vair](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vair) is a representation of squirrel fur linings, used in mantles in the medieval period. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/6 "2011-03-25T15:24:33Z")
Squirrel fur is shorter and small shafted, where as mink fur is much longer and thicker shafted. A Squirrel fur coat is not going to keep you as warm or shed water as well as a mink coat. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/7 "2011-03-25T17:49:35Z")
Heh. Three Google ads are showing for this thread: [ul] [li]Squirrel removal service[/li][li]Home trapping service[/li][li]Szechuan restaurant[/li][/ul] _doubletake_ ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/8 "2011-03-25T18:04:53Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Heh. Three Google ads are showing for this thread: > > [ul] > [li]Squirrel removal service[/li][li]Home trapping service[/li][li]Szechuan restaurant[/li][/ul] > > _doubletake_ Maybe they eat squirrels in Szechuan cuisine. I know they’re not unheard of in English cuisine—there’s a restaurant near my office in London that often has squirrel on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/9 "2011-03-25T18:08:55Z")
Heh, heh. Why go to a restaurant for squirrel when you can just scrape the durn things offa the road and fry 'em up yerself? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/10 "2011-03-25T18:19:34Z")
> [@sassyfras](#): > > Lots of squirrels, everywhere I go in the US. > > Yet I never saw a mink. > > So why no squirrel fur coats? > > Economize people, economize. When is the last time you saw someone wearing an actual mink coat? And what are the odds that if you did, it was an older coat, not something the person just bought? People don’t wear much fur nowadays. And the fur they do wear mostly comes from farmed animals, not wild caught animals. And so the most common fur you’re likely to see is rabbit, since rabbits are already raised for meat, the pelts are already there. You could farm squirrels for meat and fur in the same way, but you’d have to create your own market. Also note that minks have incredibly soft, luxurious fur, while squirrels have short average fur. That’s the reason mink coats were a sign of luxury, while squirrel fur was a sign of nothing in particular. If you really want to economize you’d be better off making fur coats out of euthanized dogs and cats. Lots of valuable furs going straight into the landfill. Good luck creating a market. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/11 "2011-03-25T18:19:43Z")
Apart from their small size, another reason may be that it’s a real bitch to skin a squirrel. Rabbits on the other hand, are a piece of cake. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/12 "2011-03-25T18:23:54Z")
Faux squirrel has gotten better and better. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/13 "2011-03-25T19:56:48Z")
> [@sassyfras](#): > > Lots of squirrels, everywhere I go in the US. > > Yet I never saw a mink. > > So why no squirrel fur coats? > > Economize people, economize. Lots of mink, everywhere I go Yet I never see a squirrel Good thing we trap mink every winter And have three furriers in town It’s good for the economy ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/14 "2011-03-25T20:12:20Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Apart from their small size, another reason may be that it’s a real bitch to skin a squirrel. Rabbits on the other hand, are a piece of cake. Once you master the technique squirrels skin out pretty easily and quickly. It involves a couple cuts, standing on the head and a good hard pull on the tail. All this is necessary to cooking and eating these fluffy tailed rats. ---
**Author:** ![Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Romeo_and_Whatsherface)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/15 "2011-03-25T20:43:18Z")
During roughly the first half of the 20th century, squirrel collars on ladies’ coats were quite popular. I collect and read vintage popular novels and have seen many references to them. They didn’t have quite the glamor of mink collars but were a lot more affordable, from what I gather. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/16 "2011-03-25T20:47:32Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Apart from their small size, another reason may be that it’s a real bitch to skin a squirrel… OHHHH! You make them out of DEAD squirrels! Why did NO one in this discussion even mention that? THAT"S why I was having all those problems. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/17 "2011-03-25T20:48:54Z")
Would they hold up? I am told that is one of the reasons rabbit never became more popular as it looks nice, but doesn’t hold up well for long ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/18 "2011-03-26T01:20:33Z")
I once had a floor-length rabbit (“coney”) coat. It kept me very warm, but the damn thing never stopped shedding. I had rabbit hair in everything I owned. And **digs** , yes, it’s hard to get the squirrels to lie still and not fight. And all that chattering . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/19 "2011-03-26T02:01:15Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Heh, heh. Why go to a restaurant for squirrel when you can just scrape the durn things offa the road and fry 'em up yerself? And Cousin Eddie read that they’re high in cholesterol. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967/20 "2011-03-26T12:24:03Z")
Squirrel skin coats were once very popular, at least in Northern Europe, being lightweight, warm and pretty. Millions and millions of red squirrels were killed every winter in Northern Russia, Finland and Sweden and the skins sold at a high price to keep the fur market happy. After WW II, squirrel skins gradually lost their charm. Bear in mind that the Northern red squirrel winter skins are in a class of their own. They have a thick, incredibly soft fur colored in the shades of silver. They do shed tiny hair all the time, which I presume is a big reason in their downfall. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-squirrel-fur-coats/575967.md?page=2)