TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Some guests at the Taipei IN Style 2017 joined a professional conference to discuss the current state of the fur trade in the textile industry.

The seminar was presented by the International Fur Federation with four guest speakers, each representing a different fur organization, two international auction houses, one fur federation representing businesses in Hong Kong, and premium atelier leather workshop in London.

Rebecca Bradley London (Image: Taiwan News)

The title of the seminar was 'Natural Sustainable Fashion Material: Fur Workshop and Business Matching.' The event served primarily as a platform for designers and apparel companies to network with fur suppliers and experts in the craft.

All of the speakers emphasized the need for ethical standards and strict regulation to govern the fur trade, in order to create a sustainable industry that does not endanger animal species, or condone illicit acquisitions of fur.

The International Fur Federation was founded over 60 years ago, and declares itself the “Voice of the Fur Trade.” The organization strives to present a factual image of the modern fur industry while maintaining the highest qualitative and ethical standards for all of its member associations.

It represents 56 different groups and associations spanning the globe in over 40 countries, with the headquarters in London, and subsidiary offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Brussels. The IFF was a proud sponsor of the runway fur show Asia Remix 2017, presented on the evening of Nov. 17 at Taipei IN Style.

Rep. from HK Fur Federation (Image: Taiwan News)

As for the four presenters, the first was Kopenhagen Fur, an auction house operating in Denmark for over 80 years. They offer the largest variety of fur in the world (47 natural types) with annual auctions every year.

Kopenhangen Fur's motto is “Dimension, Diversity, Dynamic,” they aim to be a leading innovator in the fur trade while adhering to strict EU as well as Danish laws and trade regulations.

A second auction house was Saga Furs, based in Finland that has been doing business since 1938. In 2008, the company adopted the standard and guidelines of the United Nations initiative for sustainable development, heightening regulations for labeling and tracking of fur and its manner of procurement.

To date Saga Furs has business relationships with over 1000 certified fur farms. The organization has established a special design center, where 30,000 satisfied customers have come for consultation on their fashion designs since its creation in 1988.

A representative of the Hong Kong Fur Federation and Fur Manufacturers educated audiences on the thriving fur industry in Hong Kong, and its importance for the trade in Asia. The Hong Kong Fur Federation represents over 180 businesses and serves both suppliers and customers all over the world, recently expanding its network into Central Asia in 2014.

The Hong Kong Fur Federation hosts an annual Fur Gala, a trade show, and yearly design competitions that are central events for the fur trade in Asia.

Last, was a presentation from Rebecca Bradley London, a premier atelier workshop dealing with the finest fur designers in the UK. As a design and marketing consultant in the fur industry, Rebecca Bradley offered some advice about thoroughly considering target customers, as well as price market and practicality of designing with fur.

Like the other speakers at the event, Rebecca emphasized how important it is to integrate ethical practices into one's business and design strategy. The presenters also shared samples of their fur products and were available for discussion and networking following the seminar.