So you think you're wearing faux fur? Think again

An investigative report has found that some of the faux fur being sold on the UK’s high street is fake faux fur – it is made from the real thing.

ITV’s Good Morning Britain tested goods from three leading retailers, and found that some of the fur trims and pom poms that were labelled as being made of 100% polyester were in fact made from Angora rabbit and raccoon dog.

Two of the companies investigated had a no fur policy, and were investigating their suppliers in response.

According to Sky News real rabbit, raccoon dog, mink and cat fur is finding its way onto the British market from Asian suppliers, after fur farming was banned in the UK in 2003.

And it isn’t even that expensive – Sky reports that raccoon dogs are being mass farmed in Asia, making real fur cheaper to produce than its synthetic alternative.

According to a Metro report, the UK’s RSPCA first warned people about the issue last year as well as the abuses in the real fur industry.

For example, in order to take an Angora rabbit’s fur, farmers will pluck its coat while it is still alive, causing the rabbit to suffer an incredibly painful death.

So how do you know if your faux fur isn’t actually real?

According to the BBC thanks to the real thing being in some cases cheaper to produce, and high quality fake furs feeling like the real thing, along with mislabelling being common, it can be difficult to tell if you have real fake fur.

But there are two tests consumers can use:

• First separate the fur at the base – if it is fake fur you will find a fabric webbing, if it is fake you will find skin.
• Alternatively you can clip a bit of the fur off and try burning it. Fake fur melts, while the real stuff singes and smells like burning hair.