Buying guide

Buying a fur, shearling, or cashmere coat: what the label must say, the “faux fur” trap, and where new fur can’t be sold

Updated October 29, 2026 · Written by the House of Biz & Company Editorial Team · General information, not legal or financial advice

A sable collar, a mink-lined parka, a double-faced cashmere overcoat from a great Italian mill: the finest cold-weather pieces are bought on trust, and the label is where that trust is written down. Federal rules decide what the label must say, which words a maker may use, and what a seller must repeat in its ads and invoices. Here is how to read it like an insider, and where in America a new fur can no longer be sold at all.

We don’t sell, appraise, or authenticate furs or garments. Only for the Wealthy is a publisher. Nothing here is legal advice, and we earn nothing from any brand, store, or agency named on this page.

Why the label deserves a second look

The cold season is when the serious coat comes out of storage or into the shopping bag. At these prices the label is a legal disclosure, not a decoration. Federal law requires fur garments to carry a label naming the animal, where the fur came from, how it was treated, and who stands behind it [1]. Wool and cashmere carry their own rules, down to the diameter of the fiber [4][5]. Here is how to read both, using the Federal Trade Commission’s own guidance.

Reading a fur label, line by line

Under the Fur Products Labeling Act, a garment made entirely or partly of fur must disclose the following on its label [1]:

What the label must show	What it tells you
The animal name from the FTC’s Fur Products Name Guide	The animal that actually produced the fur. Coined or fictitious names, and the name of a different animal, are illegal [1]. Descriptions such as “Sable Mink” or “Chinchilla Rabbit” are expressly prohibited [2].
“Fur Origin:” followed by a country, for imported fur	The country where the animal was raised or taken, which may differ from where the coat was sewn [1][2]. “Russian Sable” on its own is not enough; the “Fur Origin” line is still required [1].
Pointed, dyed, bleached, or artificially colored, or else “natural”	Whether the color is nature’s or the dyer’s. Pointing means inserting separate hairs, for example to add guard hairs or to imitate another fur [2].
Pieces, if they make up more than 10% of the surface	Whether the garment is made largely of paws, tails, bellies, ears, throats, heads, scraps, or waste fur rather than whole skins [1][2].
Used or damaged fur	Whether the fur was previously worn [1]. A coat resold after use must also be designated “Second-hand,” “Reconditioned-Second-hand,” or “Rebuilt-Second-hand” [2].
The manufacturer’s or seller’s name, or its RN	Who is legally answerable for the label [1]. See “Look up the RN” below.
Textile or wool content, where it applies	The wool content of a wool coat with fur trim, and the lining’s fiber if the lining adds warmth or contains wool [1].

The required information must be legible, in letters of equal size, and all on one side of the label [1][2]. The FTC also notes that a name appearing in the Name Guide doesn’t make that fur legal to sell: some listed animals are endangered species, and the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 bans products made with dog or cat fur [1].

The “faux fur” trap

A trim described online as faux is not always faux. In March 2013 the FTC announced settlements with three retailers, Neiman Marcus, DrJays.com, and Revolve, over charges that they marketed products as containing “faux fur” when the products contained real fur, without naming the animal [3]. The FTC also alleged that Neiman Marcus described a rabbit fur product as mink and left out the fur’s country of origin on three products [3]. For Neiman Marcus, the FTC pointed to its website and also its catalog and ads mailed to consumers [3]. As the FTC itself notes, a complaint is not a finding that the law was broken, and a consent order is not an admission [3].

The lesson for a discerning buyer: trust the sewn-in label over the product page, and ask for the details in writing. The FTC requires the same fur information to appear on invoices and in advertising for fur products [1], so a listing or receipt that is silent about the animal and its origin is a question worth asking before you pay.

Cashmere: a word with a legal definition

Not every fiber from a Cashmere goat may be sold as cashmere. Under the Wool Products Labeling Act, “cashmere” may identify fiber content only if it is the fine, dehaired undercoat of the Cashmere goat, averages no more than 19 microns in diameter, and contains no more than 3% by weight of fibers averaging over 30 microns [4][5]. Fiber that misses the definition must be labeled wool [4].

Percentages, always. A blend that mentions cashmere must state the content, such as “80% Wool, 20% Cashmere.” The FTC says it would be illegal to say simply “Cashmere” or “Cashmere blend” without the percentages [4].
The sleeve label must match. A coat that is 50% cashmere can’t carry a sleeve label reading only “Fine Cashmere Garment”; it must repeat the full content in equally conspicuous lettering [4].
“Pashmina” is not a fiber. The FTC says pashmina is not a labeling term recognized by the Wool Act; a shawl sold as pashmina must still disclose its real content, such as cashmere and silk, and can’t be labeled “100% Pashmina” [4].
Tolerance. The FTC generally allows a 3% tolerance for unavoidable manufacturing variation in wool products, but none for a “100%” claim [4].
Vicuña, camel, alpaca. These specialty fibers may be called wool or named individually, and if the name is used, its percentage must appear on the label [5].

“Super 150s” and other fine-wool numbers

For tailored coats and suiting, the “Super” number is defined by law, not by marketing. Each grade has a maximum average fiber diameter: Super 100’s means 18.75 microns or finer, Super 150’s means 16.25 microns or finer, and Super 180’s means 14.75 microns or finer, with the scale running up to Super 250’s at 11.25 microns [5]. A higher number is a claim about fineness that the maker must be able to support.

Leather trim and leather bags

The FTC’s Guides for Select Leather and Imitation Leather Products cover handbags, belts, luggage, and footwear [6]. The unqualified word “leather” should be used only for a product made of leather in all substantial parts; imitation material that looks like leather should be disclosed as not leather [6]. Bonded or reconstituted leather should not be represented as leather, and when those terms are used, the percentages of leather fibers and other substances should be disclosed [6]. Leather embossed to look like a different leather should name the leather it really is, for example “Top Grain Cowhide With Simulated Pigskin Grain” [6]. For crocodile, alligator, and other exotic skins, see our designer handbag guide, which covers the wildlife rules.

Look up the RN

The small “RN” number on a label is a Registered Identification Number issued by the FTC, and the FTC issues RNs only to businesses in the United States [5]. If a label uses a company name instead, it must be the full name under which the company does business, not merely a brand or designer name [5]. You can search the FTC’s RN database by number or company name [8]. The FTC cautions that the database is only as current as the information companies submit [8], so treat a match as one useful check, not proof of authenticity.

Where new fur can’t be sold: California

Since January 1, 2023, California law has made it unlawful to sell, offer, display for sale, trade, or distribute a new fur product in the state, or to manufacture one there for sale [7]. The definition is broad: clothing and fashion accessories made in whole or in part of fur, including handbags, shoes, hats, scarves, gloves, jewelry, and keychains [7]. Violators face civil penalties of up to $500, $750, or $1,000 per product depending on prior violations [7].

The exceptions matter to a collector of fine outerwear. The ban does not apply to used fur products, meaning fur already worn or used by a consumer [7]. Its definition of a fur product also excludes cowhide, deerskin, sheepskin, and goatskin with the hair attached, so shearling is outside it [7]. Religious and tribal uses are exempt as well [7]. A California buyer shopping for an heirloom mink will therefore be looking at the vintage and resale market rather than the new-season floor, and a seller of used fur must keep a record of each sale for at least a year [7].

Care, cleaning, and the furrier

Apparel care labels are required under a separate FTC rule [4][5]. The FTC points out that “Dry Clean Only” is a claim that washing would harm the garment, which the maker must be able to prove, and that many cashmere items can be washed safely at home; a label that says simply “Dry Clean” does not warn against washing [4]. When a furrier repairs or restyles your own coat and adds fur to it, a new label isn’t required, but you are owed an invoice disclosing the required information about the fur that was added [2]. Keep it with the coat’s papers.

Your checklist

Read the sewn-in label, not just the listing: animal name, “Fur Origin,” natural or dyed, pieces, used or second-hand [1][2].
For anything described as faux, confirm in writing that it contains no animal fur [1][3].
Ask for an invoice that repeats the required fur information [1].
For cashmere, expect percentages for any blend and no “100% Pashmina” [4].
Check that a “Super” number is backed by the maker [5], and that “leather” really means leather [6].
Search the RN in the FTC database [8].
In California, expect new fur to be off the shelf; used fur and shearling are outside the ban [7].
Pay in a way you can dispute; our guide to credit card dispute rights explains why.

Frequently asked questions

What must a fur coat label show?

Under the Fur Products Labeling Act, the label must name the animal using the FTC’s Fur Products Name Guide, give the country of origin for imported fur, say whether the fur is dyed or otherwise treated, disclose pieces over 10% of the surface and used fur, and identify the manufacturer or seller [1].

Can a garment labeled faux fur contain real fur?

It shouldn’t, but it has happened. In 2013 the FTC announced settlements with three retailers over products marketed as faux fur that contained real fur [3].

What makes cashmere legally cashmere?

Under the Wool Products Labeling Act, cashmere must be the fine, dehaired undercoat of the Cashmere goat, averaging no more than 19 microns, with no more than 3% by weight of fibers averaging over 30 microns [4][5].

Is it legal to sell new fur in California?

No. Since January 1, 2023, California has banned selling or distributing new fur products, with exceptions including used fur [7].