In the studio they make changes and adjustments of the fur, but also reworks and new orders. If you turn in your fur for cleaning, Kiwi Furs takes good care of it. The fat is removed from the hair in a gentle way, which leaves no environmentally harmful residues, and the fur will feel lighter. During the summer, Kiwi Furs offers refrigerated storage of your fur in an external cool-house. The cold storage extends the life of the fur since the fur doesn’t dry of the heat, and the cold also keeps fur beetles and moths away.

For many years, the Eriksson family ran the shop under the name Drottninggatans Päls. In the early 90’s, Torsti Kiwi took over the store and added the name Kiwi Furs. Torsti’s parents had a fur store in Finland and then in Tranås, where Torsti grew up. Tranås was Sweden’s fur city, which at that time had more than 200 fur shops and only 17,000 residents.

During the years, the fur stores have become fewer. The furrier profession – to create patterns, cut and match leather – has become more and more unusual. Torsti, who was trained in Tranås, and his colleague Karin went to the fur sewing and furrier program at S:t Göran Gymnasium, a program that no longer exists.

Fur has been a favorite among mainly Italian and French tourists, but has now become more popular among Swedes. And you can’t argue with the fact that there’s few garments that keep the Swedish winter cold away as good as fur.

“It’s a sure sign that fur is trendy again, when celebrities like Beyoncé and the Kardashian sisters are wearing it”, says Torsti and smiles.

It’s common that furs are inherited for several generations. Therefore, many customers come to Kiwi Furs to turn an old fur into a more personal and modern style. For example, a long coat can be shortened to a jacket, poncho or cape for the wedding dress. Many also choose to upgrade their garments by replacing the border in fake fur on a down jacket, or putting on a fur border on a pair of gloves.

Today, people are more environmentally conscious and want to use natural materials like genuine leather and fur for clothes, shoes, sofas, car upholsteries, dog leads, saddles etc. And unlike the plastic and oil contained in synthetic materials, fur and leather will always be a natural material that humans have always used.

“Fur is an environmentally conscious choice of clothing that has always been worn by human beings”, says Karin.

Sponsored article in collaboration with Kiwi Furs/Drottninggatans Päls.