The most glamorous and sought-after textiles-leather and fur-are also the most controversial among society. Since leather is a by-product of the meatpacking industry, it is not the target of environmental as the fur industry. Basically, almost all leather comes from cattle, yet there are nine major categories of leather: cattle, sheep and lamb, goat and kid, equine, pig and hog, deer, kangaroo and wallaby, and exotic leather. The leather industry is a specialized operation that involves the prediction of trends far in advance; moreover; leather producers decide on what production method, textures, and colors they will use 8 to 16 months in advance. As a result, the leather industry's forecasters are considered the best and most experienced in the fashion industry. Instead of meeting consumer needs in a few fashion areas, today, the leather industry has changed in resulting three trends: enlarging market opportunities, increased competition from synthetics, and increased foreign trade. Furthermore, the industry's efforts to develop markets ensures future growth for the industry.
In the fashion industry, the wearing of fur exemplified one's wealth and status. Fur is still an enormous business in America. There are fifteen popular furs that are used in the fashion industry today, and they are: beaver, calf, chinchilla, coyote, ermine, fox, lamb, lynx, marten, mink, nutria, rabbit, raccoon, sable,. and tanuki. The fur industry is divided into three groups: (1) the trappers, farmers, and ranchers who produce the pelts and sell them at auctions; (2) the fur-processing companies; and (3) the manufacturers of the fur products. Although it was popular in the United States, the fur industry is slowly losing its fame due to the animal rights groups that have protested the wearing of animal fur as cruel and inhumane. Yet, the fur industry's response has been strong on a number of fronts. They stress that: fur farms do not remove animals from the wild, ninety-five percent of U.S. mink production comes from farms certified as humane, and unlike fake fur, real fur does not use nonrenewable petroleum by-products.
In all reality, as a fashion designer one must be aware of the animal treatment behind the production of both fur and leather. Then, one can base his or her decision on whether or not to use either fur or leather in his or her collection.
Women's wear is the largest segment of the fashion industry. It sets the trends for other segments such as merchandising of ready-to-wear apparel, which has been centered in the fashion district of New York City, with other major markets in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta. The production of women's wear is segmented in several ways and companies may specialize according to particular categories: activewear, bridal wear; sizes, including misses, junior, petite, women's.
