Frequently Asked Questions

Climate-controlled cold storage, kept at roughly 40-50°F and 40-50% humidity, away from the heat, light, and humidity of a NYC summer that dry out and crack a pelt.

A home closet runs too warm and humid for months at a time; that combination is what causes shedding, dry/brittle leather, and moth damage --- cold storage is what actually stops it.

Not recommended: plastic garment bags trap moisture against the pelt (the single most common damage-causing mistake), and most home closets run too warm through summer.

Storage protects the coat over summer; cleaning (done by a furrier, not a dry cleaner) removes soil and reconditions the leather --- most owners want both, which is why we price them together.

Yes, flat $35 roundtrip anywhere in the five boroughs, New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, or Long Island --- reference the published pricing table.

At ERNY Furs, seasonal cold storage starts at $85 per coat. Storage plus a full cleaning is $110 per coat. Luxury furs and shearling --- including chinchilla, sable, and broadtail --- are $125 per coat. Cleaning only, without storage, is $80 per coat. Moth-proofing treatment is a $150 add-on. One flat $35 pickup and delivery fee covers the entire tri-state area, roundtrip.

In dry, extreme cold (below about 14°F), real fur outperforms most down: guard hairs trap air and shed light snow or rain, while down clumps and loses insulating power the moment it gets wet.

Real fur's natural air-trapping structure and moisture resistance generally beats faux fur in genuinely cold, dry conditions --- a useful, factual companion point to the vintage-fur blog post without turning it into a faux-fur takedown.

A well-made mink coat that's stored every summer and cleaned annually commonly lasts 20-30 years, with some vintage pieces still wearable at 50+ years.

Yes, durability varies by fur type; worth a one-line answer here and a fuller comparison as a future blog post under the fur-type keyword cluster already mapped.

Almost always --- restyling preserves pelts that can already be decades into their 20-30-year lifespan, and it's the direct link between this FAQ and the /services/repair-alterations and vintage-fur pages.

Yes --- this is one of the things we do most often. A dated silhouette can be shortened, reshaped, or converted into a jacket, vest, or lining. If it's structurally sound, it can almost always be made wearable again.

Mink, sable, fox, chinchilla, shearling, broadtail, astrakhan (Persian lamb), lynx, and more. Ervin has hands-on experience with the full range.

Yes. Restyling a fur coat that already exists means no new animal, no new synthetic, and no plastic microfibers shed into waterways. It's the most circular thing you can do with a fur piece.

It depends on the fur type, length, and construction. Every project starts with a no-obligation consultation where Ervin shows you skins and walks you through pricing before anything is committed to.

Yes. One flat delivery fee covers pickup and drop-off anywhere in the tri-state area: all five boroughs, New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island, and Connecticut.

Call or text (646) 932-2978, or use the contact form. Fittings happen in the Fur District showroom by appointment.

Yes: Ervin has designed and produced hundreds of coats and styles himself, all available to try on and buy directly, no commission or waiting period required.

The collection is existing, ready-to-wear pieces Ervin has already made; custom design starts from scratch and is built to one person's specifications over several fittings.

Both: Ervin makes and sells fur hats, scarves, and stoles ready to wear, and can also make any of them to order.

Yes, the same custom process used for coats applies to accessories - pick the fur, decide the style, and it's made to order.

Yes, ready-made fur teddy bears, throws/blankets, and pillows, sold alongside the hats, scarves, and stoles.

Yes - one of our most popular gift categories, especially around the holidays.

Restyle it into something modern and wearable - a shorter jacket, a vest, a new lining and silhouette - rather than letting it sit unused.