Mink Prices Are Climbing, Foxes Advance in Helsinki
Sables Take Big Upward Turn & U.S. Stores Have Good January

China domestic fur business, responding to one of the coldest winters on record there, continues to rack up unexpectedly high volume for retailers, far surpassing what they had prepared for. But China’s retail sales in general have been setting records as a result of the basket of stimulus measures by the government, including subsidies and tax breaks for home appliances and cars, to sustain the economic growth that was slowed by the previous year’s economic crisis.

According to reports, new retailers who jumped into the business in 2009 to take advantage of the fur boom sold as much as double what they had expected, while established furriers enjoyed sales increases of 50% and more over the previous season. With the Chinese New Year now less than a week away – and holiday buying at the season’s peak – garment inventories in the stores are described as the lowest in memory and manufacturers say they are unable to fill orders because of a shortage of skins

In the U.S., January turned out to be a decent month for fur retailers after all. Most who were interviewed last week said their figures were close to – or slightly ahead of – last year’s month, which was generally good. Virtually all cited the cold weather as mainly responsible for bringing in the traffic.

Sandy Parker Reports is weekly International Fur News. Sandy Parker has been covering the fur industry for over 43 years. For the last 33 years he has published a weekly newsletter, detailing results of all the major international pelt auctions, wholesale price trends, business developments and movements within the trade, as well as economic and political activities that may impact on it.

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