The worldwide winter has continued at full strength into 2010. In USA, Russia, Canada, Europe as well as in China. In China, fur retail sales keep up levels from December supported by the coldest winter in 50 years, while the US market I showing signs of recovery compared to last season. holds onto last year's level despite a generally weak retail market. Also in 2010 snow continues to fall heavily all over the world. Europe, USA, Canada particularly the northern China experiences snow in such quantities that it has created huge traffic problems and many flight delays and cancellations were reported.

Apparently, it is the first time since 1951 that so much snow has fallen in the capital of China, but throughout northern China massive snowfalls are experienced at the moment.

It is probably the coldest season in decades, the temperatures in many parts of northern China at the moment are reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. Records, however, are set in Northwest China at the border of Mongolia, where temperatures have hit ice-cold minus 50 degrees.

Therefore the Chinese retail season opened strongly in the important centers around the country. And the factories reportedly have been scrambling for skins to fill the domestic orders. Not only has China bounced back from last year’s international financial mess as a result of the government’s enormous stimulus measures, but consumers are said to have great purchasing power and a huge appetite for luxury goods. In addition to fur and fur-trimmed garments, they have taken to using furs in a variety of other ways. Moreover, the early arrival of cold weather and heavy snows has provided the extra stimulus.

According to the weather forecasts the cold winter seems to continue. Meteorologists around the world have been predicting a cold winter – that, despite global-warming forecasts by environmentalist interests. Not to say that those interests are wrong in their beliefs, rather that it apparently isn’t happening yet on a local basis. Temperatures have been ranging to the sub-freezing in the important fur-marketing areas such as China, Russia, the U.S., and Northern and Eastern Europe. The promise of normal cold temperatures to continue for at least the foreseeable future assured retailers that business will also be there for them.

In the U.S., retail sales were proceeding nicely in most sections of the country and many stores were showing better sales results than last year. That should be relatively easy, considering that last December followed on the heels of the international financial fiasco and consumers – including those with disposable income – pulled in their belts. It was described as the worst December in recent memory. But the recent snowstorm in the Northeast and Midwest, which set new records for some areas, crippled the movement of all forms of conveyances – including holiday and vacation flights – and also deprived retailers of traffic on what traditionally has been the busiest shopping this season.

Fur Industry Resource Center, January 7, 2010