Locked in a dirty cage, he was alone and in pain, in the smells of excrement and rotting flesh. He was hungry and the small wire cage hurt his feet. He was just another baby fox, one of the dozens cramped in rusty cagesMaciek recovered in a safe, roomy space with one of his rescuers. He slowly adjusted to his new life. This year Maciek celebrates his very first Christmas outside a fur farm, he could not be happier!

The EU accounts for 63% of global mink production and 70% of fox production. Denmark is the leading mink-producing country, accounting for approximately 28% of world production. Other major producers include China, the Netherlands, Russia, and the U.S. Finland is the largest United States supplier of fox pelts.

The United States is a major exporter of fur skins. Major export markets include China, Russia, Canada, and the EU. Exports to Asia as a share of total exports grew from 22% in 1998 to 47% in 2002. China is the largest importer of fur pelts in the world and the largest exporter of finished fur products. Fur farming is banned in Austria, Croatia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic (effective in 2019) and Norway (effective from February 1, 2025). In Germany and Switzerland, the regulations for fur farming are very strict, with the result that there are no fur farms. Some other countries have a ban on fur farming of certain types of animals.

Demand fell in the late 1980s and 1990s because of a number of factors, including the failure of designers to come up with exciting new lines and the efforts of animal rights campaigners. Since the turn of the millennium, however, sales worldwide have soared to record highs, fueled by radically new techniques for working with fur, and a sharp rise in disposable income in China and Russia. This growing demand has led to the development of extensive fur farming operations in China and Poland.

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