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The term fur refers to the fine, soft body hair of non-human mammals.

True fur comes from animals where the coat consists of short ground hair and long guard hair. Fur served as an important source of clothing for humans, especially in cold countries, where it remains a popular luxury item. Producers and wearers of fur have recently been criticized because of mounting beliefs that animal trapping and fur farms are cruel, and that the killing of animals for clothing is made unnecessary by modern natural and synthetic fibers.

A few of the sources of fur include:

beaver

ermine

fox

mink

otter

rabbit

sable

seal

Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of many animals. It is a defining characteristic of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture and the underfur acts as an insulating blanket that keeps the animal warm.

Contrast the use of sheepskin and wool.

The fur trade played an important economic role in the past. Fur trappers explored and opened up large parts of North America, and the fashion for beaver hats led to intense competition for supplies of raw materials.

The popular name of fur fetishism refers to a fetishistic attraction to people wearing fur, or in certain cases, to the fur garments themselves.

If you don't want to wear fur from animals, you can wear fake fur which is also referred to as faux fur.