When Rex rabbit fur is passed off as mink fur, knowing how to tell them apart keeps you from losing out

Passing Rex rabbit fur off as mink fur refers to the practice whereby some merchants sell Rex rabbit fur that has been dyed, sheared and otherwise processed as mink fur, using cheap skins to earn hefty profits. Rex rabbit fur is fine, dense and even, and after processing it looks somewhat similar to sheared mink fur, so consumers who do not look carefully can easily be fooled. This kind of situation is relatively common during the winter peak fur-selling season, so you need to pay extra attention when buying.

In terms of material, mink fur has guard hairs of moderate thickness, with a clear distinction between guard hairs and underfur, a strong sheen, and a firm yet supple leather backing. Rex rabbit fur, by contrast, is uniform in thickness with no prominent guard hairs, and the fur surface is as even as velvet, but the fur is shorter, and the density and resilience of the underfur are inferior to mink. If you gently blow the fur apart, on mink you can see the upright guard hairs covering the underfur, while the fur surface of Rex rabbit tends to lie flat, with no obvious layering.

When telling them apart, you can first observe the tips of the fur, then shake the fur garment a few times; mink springs back quickly and the fur surface returns to a neat state, while Rex rabbit looks rather flattened. Part the fur to examine the leather backing: mink leather is thick and fine, whereas Rex rabbit leather is relatively thin and soft, and the whole piece is lighter in weight. The market prices of the two differ greatly, so if you come across so-called mink products priced clearly below the normal market rate, you should be on your guard.

When buying fur, it is advisable to choose legitimate channels, check the material name stated on the product label, and ask for a purchase receipt. If a merchant only vaguely says things like mink or short-haired mink but refuses to write the material on the receipt, you should be even more cautious. If you are unsure, you can send it to a professional testing institution for identification and decide whether to buy only after confirming the material is correct, so as to avoid paying a high price for a Rex rabbit fur product.