Proper storage will extend the life of your mink coat.
A mink coat is a high-end fashion investment that needs to be protected properly to ensure its long, luxurious life. The hot, dry summer months can dry out, harden and prematurely age the leather of your costly fur, and expose its hair to insects. A cedar closet is not suitable for summer storage. Cedar odors persist in fur. Your mink requires air circulated at a temperature of 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of between 45 and 50 percent. Does this Spark an idea?
Cold Storage
Once the weather warms enough that your fur will no longer be worn, it should be placed directly into climate-controlled cold storage. When it is cold enough to wear a winter jacket, your mink may then be retrieved for winter wear. The longer a mink coat is preserved in proper cold storage conditions, the longer your valuable fur will last. Most furriers provide either in-house cold storage or lease space in a facility off-site to service their customers' needs.
Cold Storage Must Haves
Besides the optimal cold and humidity levels previously discussed, a professional cold storage facility should be vermin- and insect-proof and provide ample space for each garment. Exposure to harmful ultraviolet light should be minimized. Theft protection in the form of alarm systems or guards is necessary where so many valuable items are stored under one roof. If the weather should suddenly turn cold or you need your mink for a special event, retrieval time should be quick and easy.
Why Cold Storage?
As temperatures drop, molecular activity slows and biodegradation decreases. The natural oils in fur and leather are maintained because evaporation levels decrease in cooler temperatures. As long as your mink is kept above the freezing point and guarded from repetitive freezing and thawing cycles, your coat can last a very long time. Once the oils are depleted from leather and fur, tearing and decomposition may easily occur. Proper humidity levels guard your coat from dry air evaporation and moist air rot.
Other Considerations
The belief that a mink coat placed in a cedar-lined closet protected by mothballs will provide adequate care for the expensive garment is incorrect and misguided. Moth balls may deter moths, but the presence of warm, dry air and lingering odors cause other problems. A mink coat is an investment worth protecting by using professional, climate-controlled storage facilities. The money you spend on yearly storage costs will be easily recouped by the extended garment life that storage provides.
Tags: mink coat, Cold Storage, cold storage, humidity levels, your coat, your mink
