Uh-oh, How do the makers get the beaver felt??

[icot]

So, I've been reading up a lot on hats...felt...and then I start thinking.

(This is where all you guys start wishing it was a "males-only" board )

How do the felt makers get the beaver or rabbit fur? I'd like to think they shave the rabbits and beavers and have been trying to convince myself that ignorance is bliss, but I just have to know. Is it from pelts?

This would limit my hat buying to strictly vintage stuff, and I'm not an animal rights fanatic, but don't want an animal to suffer for my enjoyment. Thanks for anyone who's read this far!

 

[JEEP]

Getting fur for felt, from animals like rabbits and beavers, involve killing and skinning the animal. As far as I know there is no alternative to that.

Personally I have no problem with that - as long as the animal doesn't suffer.


/Jakob

 

[reetpleat]

So, I've been reading up a lot on hats...felt...and then I start thinking.

(This is where all you guys start wishing it was a "males-only" board )

How do the felt makers get the beaver or rabbit fur? I'd like to think they shave the rabbits and beavers and have been trying to convince myself that ignorance is bliss, but I just have to know. Is it from pelts?

This would limit my hat buying to strictly vintage stuff, and I'm not an animal rights fanatic, but don't want an animal to suffer for my enjoyment. Thanks for anyone who's read this far!

I think they might just take the swepings from teh floor at the beaver barber shop.

While not a vegeterian or vegan, i am opposed to animal cruelty. I guess every individual must decide for themselves what that constitutes.

I do like the idea that I buy mostly used stuff, so I am not directly responsible for it.

Even wool is considered abusive by some due to the way they treat the animals. I can't say I think they are wrong, but I tend to not think about it much, perhaps on purpose.

truth is, cotton and other fabric clothing is also somewhat reliant on questionable treatment of human beings too.

Again, another good reason to buy used or vintage as we like to call it.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Well, that video from Akubra that was linked in a recent thread shows the rabbit pelts being processed. I presume that the beaver is processed pretty much the same way.

I also presume that those rabbits were farm raised, and that the rest of them didn't go to waste (as in eaten). I might ge wrong, but there are a lot of rabbit farms in the US, and so the same is likely to be true Down Under.

I also presume that the same is not true for the beavers. I don't recall ever having had beaver stew, but as they're a lot like a groundhog and I have had those in stew, I don't think too many folks are eating them...

I also see references to the nutrias, and I think those are trapped regardless as they are one of those imported critters that turned out to be a real pest.

Maybe someone else has some references as to where the beaver felt comes from. but I strongly suspect Canada which has a lot of habitat for beavers to do very well in.

Later!

Stan

 

[HamletJSD]

I believe many companies (like Akubra) have traditionally acquired their felt from pest animals ... wild hares that would be killed anyway, just like you try kill other "pest" creatures around your home such as moles, ants, or snakes.

 

[feltfan]

I believe many companies (like Akubra) have traditionally acquired their felt from pest animals ... wild hares that would be killed anyway, just like you try kill other "pest" creatures around your home such as moles, ants, or snakes.

Snakes make terrible felt. I hope they stick to hares and beavers
and nutria.

 

[Lexybeast]

From my understanding, at least regarding Canadian beaver fur, a lot of it comes from animals that are culled anyway because of animal protection programs that worked a bit <i>too</i> well, resulting in overpopulation. Anyone familiar with this? If it's true, it sits fine with a vegetarian like me.

 

[HamletJSD]

Snakes make terrible felt ...

True, that's why I harvest their pelts solely to make oil lamps and golf clubs

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Having just done a little poking around, it would appear that the beaver fur desired for felting comes from a quite mature animal. I also found some information that supports the previous thought that while beavers were once over harvested, they are now overpopulated.

Gee, that sounds like my area where the deer are so overpopulated that the wildlife commission is hawking year-around hunting licences for the farmers so they can keep the deer under control. Now, I qualify as we raise pumpkins, but I can't see shooting them just for that, at least not yet. I did put a very high and rather costly fence up a couple years back to keep the 'munchers' out of our veggie garden, though.

So, it would appear that the beavers are live trapped and only the mature ones are harvested. As long as some thought is applied, I'm cool with it. My Native American ancestry, though, still recalls the plight of the Buffalo, which is a sickening tale. They were shot down into extinction by folks on trains just shooting them because they were bored. :rage:

This we must never do again.

Later!

Stan

 

[David Conwill]

Too bad nobody uses Opossum or Raccoon to make felt. I could have a booming business just collecting roadkill carcasses around here. I do feel bad about them going to waste (although I'm sure the crows like them left where they are).

I must admit I've had some misgivings about beaver felt hats. Michigan, of course, was largely settled originally because of demand for beaver pelts. But they're darned scarce these days.

Rabbits, on the other hand, as was mentioned above are easily farm raised and are just like any other livestock animal. Plus the wild ones seem to be thriving.

Of course I would always prefer livestock to be handled humanely - whether I'm eating it or wearing it.

-Dave

 

[feltfan]

Now, I qualify as we raise pumpkins, but I can't see shooting them just for that, at least not yet.

Pumpkins also make terrible felt.

My Native American ancestry, though, still recalls the plight of the Buffalo, which is a sickening tale. They were shot down into extinction by folks on trains just shooting them because they were bored. :rage:

Native Americans did their part, too.
Check out the description of a Native American
buffalo hunt in the Lewis and Clarke diaries, in which
they describe a tribe stampeding an entire herd of
buffalos off a cliff, just to use a few. Some of our
preconceived notions of Native Americans are a bit romantic.

And as we've discussed before, bison fur makes lousy felt.

 

[David Conwill]

My Native American ancestry, though, still recalls the plight of the Buffalo, which is a sickening tale. They were shot down into extinction by folks on trains just shooting them because they were bored. :rage:

This we must never do again.

You left out the part about the government encouraging it to deprive the tribes of their major food source and essentially forcing them onto reservations to farm.

A sad portion of our history.

-Dave

 

[Tango Yankee]

I don't understand? Because a animal died 50 years ago it's OK to wear and the death doesn't count ?? I hope you don't wait 50 years to enjoy your Steak..

I believe the rationale here is that if you go with "reuse" of an item you won't be responsible for the additional animal deaths that would be necessary if you were to purchase the item new.

Reuse is not really possible with steak...

I personally have no qualms about buying new, and I like my steak medium-rare to rare, please!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Rick Blaine]

A modest proposal

...the deer are so overpopulated that the wildlife commission is hawking year-around hunting licences for the farmers so they can keep the deer under control. Now, I qualify as we raise pumpkins, but I can't see shooting them just for that, at least not yet....

fftopic:
Brother, you go right ahead and cull those pests, drop 'em off at the deer locker down the road and then call me when it is ready. I will high tail it over the mountains and be there before closing time...I like butterfly tenderloins and grind the rest. MMmmmmmm. :essen:

When we lived in GA. we had to turn away at least 2 -3 deer per year from friends & coworkers who were hunters simply because our deep-freeze was full of venison. Here in TN. the hunters I know feel lucky just to find somewhere to hunt, much less actually get to take a shot.

 

[dhermann1]

When I first got interested in the subject, I found out that the traditional trap for beavers involved grabbing the animal at the water's edge and drowning it. Yeek. I believe that instant kill traps are now used. I don't know about those live traps where they release the younger animals. I'd like to know more about it. I believe only wild animals are used for felt, because their fur is more suited. I believe, also, that most beaver pelts now come from eastern Europe (like Poland, maybe?).

 

[Feraud]

I don't understand? Because a animal died 50 years ago it's OK to wear and the death doesn't count ?? I hope you don't wait 50 years to enjoy your Steak..

I believe the idea behind purchasing vintage felt and fur is it does not support the current cruel business practice of harvesting animal pelts.

 

[Jovan]

If you think about it, using vintage fabric in a bespoke would have the same effect, too...

 

[tinmanzzz]

I believe the rationale here is that if you go with "reuse" of an item you won't be responsible for the additional animal deaths that would be necessary if you were to purchase the item new.

I actually understood the "rationale" behind this. It's just that I don't accept it. If one is soo opposed to an idea, don't wear leather (shoes, belts, purse etc), eat any meat (fish, shell fish, fowl). By wearing vintage, one still supports the consept of killing animals.

Reuse is not really possible with steak...
My dogs might disagree

I personally have no qualms about buying new, and I like my steak medium-rare to rare, please!
Good choose, :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Tom, I'm just an Old Farm Boy, I watched steaks go from birth to the table with no problems.. I was just trying to make the point that you can't have it both ways.
:deadhorse

Cheers,
Tom

And Yes, a rationalization is more important than Sex
ps so as not to confuse, Tom's comments are in white mine Green

 

[animator]

I'm pretty sure they only euthanize depressed beavers.

Beavers are actually happier as our beloved hats. They didn't get this kind of attention when they were varmints.

 

[Stan]

fftopic:
Brother, you go right ahead and cull those pests, drop 'em off at the deer locker down the road and then call me when it is ready. I will high tail it over the mountains and be there before closing time...I like butterfly tenderloins and grind the rest. MMmmmmmm. :essen:

When we lived in GA. we had to turn away at least 2 -3 deer per year from friends & coworkers who were hunters simply because our deep-freeze was full of venison. Here in TN. the hunters I know feel lucky just to find somewhere to hunt, much less actually get to take a shot.

Hi,

Well, the point where I stopped reading the rules for the permit was when it said one had to bury the carcass and not eat it!

I'm not going to do that.

I get plenty of venison from our son-in-law, who loves to hunt but our daughter won't cook it, much less eat it. She's all into her food having to have USDA stamps on it - not that this means anything these days! She was not raised that way, but there you are. She doesn't even want any eggs from the henhouse. Sheesh.

Oh, well, I get it and I don't have to get up ealry to hunt them. I do cook some for the son-in-law when they're over, though.

Later!

Stan