Denmark was long considered the best place in the world to procure raw material for the fur industry. Covid-19 changed that overnight, and Poland may be quietly positioned to take its place over the next decade.
4 min read | Fur Industry | Poland | Market Shift
Article Summary
Denmark was arguably the best place in the world to procure raw material for the fur industry, until Covid-19 changed everything. The Danish government ordered every fur farm in the country to eliminate its mink population, over concern the animals could become an uncontrollable source of viral spread.
That single decision sent the entire fur industry into a period of depression, driven by both suppressed demand and genuine uncertainty about how much inventory actually remained in the market. Now, years later, the fur industry’s center of gravity may be shifting toward Poland instead.
Denmark, Pre-2020
Former Fur Industry Hub
- Top global source of raw mink
- Farms eliminated during Covid-19
Poland, Today
Emerging Fur Industry Hub
- New farms opening with Danish expertise
- Kopenhagen Fur running trial auctions
How Covid-19 Reshaped the Fur Industry
Denmark was arguably the best place on earth to procure raw material for the fur industry, right up until Covid-19 hit. Out of concern that mink could become infected and spread the virus uncontrollably, the Danish government ordered every fur farm in the country to eliminate its entire mink population.
That decision sent shockwaves through the fur industry as a whole. Fur pelt prices across nearly every animal type entered a genuine depression, driven not only by a sudden drop in demand but also by real uncertainty about how much fur inventory actually remained available worldwide.
The Knowledge Never Left, and Now It's Moving to Poland
Even though no large fur farms remain operating in Denmark, the expertise built over generations never disappeared. That knowledge is now actively moving into Poland, where several initiatives are underway to open new fur farms built on Danish know-how.
An industry’s real advantage was never just the land it operated on, it was the accumulated expertise, and that expertise is exactly what’s relocating to Poland now.
Kopenhagen Fur Has Already Run a Trial
The legendary Kopenhagen Fur Auction, long considered one of the fur industry’s most respected institutions, has already run its first trial auction tied to this shift. That trial signals real institutional confidence in Poland’s emerging role within the fur industry.
What to Expect Within the Next 2 to 3 Years
Right now, there isn’t yet a large volume of new inventory coming out of Poland, but that’s expected to change soon. Within two to three years, newly bred mink from these Polish farms should be ready for auction, adding real supply back into the fur industry.
With that increased supply, we’re hopeful that overall pelt quality will improve while prices across the fur industry begin to stabilize after years of volatility.
Why Poland Could Reshape the Fur Industry
Denmark’s exit left a real gap. The fur industry lost its top raw material source almost overnight during Covid-19.
Expertise, not geography, is what matters. Danish fur industry knowledge is now taking root in Poland instead.
The result could be renewed stability. Rising supply from Poland may help pricing across the fur industry settle down.
Tracking where the fur industry is headed next? J&A International sources fully CITES-, Furmark-, and SOBOL-certified material from trusted farms and auctions worldwide.