Fur

9 March 2011 - With many thanks to the Big White Guy in the City of Buzz, I blog about fur today. Local newspapers reports that Hong Kong is the fur hub of the world, handling 70 per cent of globe's raw furs and 80 per cent of its processed furs. Unsurprisingly, mainland China is the biggest market. It seems odd that furs come through a city which is so hot and humid much of the year, but there it is.The article made no mention of the ethics of the fur trade, but that's not to say there haven't been protests against fur in the Big Lychee. Ethics regarding animals are quite different in the motherland and changing minds isn't easy, especially when it's so cold in northern China, and certainly when increasing numbers of wealthy mainlanders are eager to display their status.Hong Kongers have no reason to wear fur; it rarely gets much colder in the winter than 5C, and trying to prevent mold damage would be a never-ending battle. For those who want the real thing regardless, recycled furs may be the ticket: they don't involve the cruelty often perpetrated by the fur industry, and they don't involve the use of petroleum products and toxic chemicals in the manufacture of fake fur.Once fur traders figure that out, you can be certain that Hong Kong will capture the world market for recycled furs as well.