Before you order
How to replace a fur trim ruined by a washing machine or dry cleaner
Leaving a natural or faux fur hood trim attached during machine washing, tumble drying or solvent dry cleaning is the single most common cause of ruined winter parka collars. When water and heat shrink a natural leather pelt or melt synthetic modacrylic fibres, the damaged ruff no longer matches the jacket's fastening length. This guide explains how to distinguish reversible matting from irreversible pelt shrinkage and how to record the undamaged hood attachment line for a replacement trim.
Distinguish surface matting from heat-shrunk leather backing
Rain, snow and normal collar friction can clump guard hairs without harming the leather skin underneath. By contrast, warm water, detergent and dryer heat strip natural oils from the dressed leather pelt, causing it to contract, curl and harden like brittle cardboard. Once a natural pelt has shrunk or torn along its stitch line, brushing or conditioning cannot restore its original centimetre length or supple drape. Faux-fur pile exposed to a hot dryer undergoes thermal crimping, where synthetic fibres fuse into stiff, frizzy tufts that cannot be combed smooth.
- Check whether the leather or textile backing feels soft and flexible or stiff, curled and brittle.
- Inspect the zipper tape or buttonholes on the trim to see if shrinkage has warped the spacing.
- Never apply hair conditioner, steam or a blow-dryer to a heat-shrunk natural pelt.
Never measure the shrunken fur trim to order your replacement size
A machine-washed or tumble-dried fur ruff frequently loses fifteen to thirty-five percent of its original length as the leather contracts. Measuring that shrunken strip will result in ordering a replacement trim that is far too short for your parka hood. Instead, detach the ruined ruff and measure the fabric attachment track remaining on the jacket hood itself, which rarely shrinks to the same degree.
- Lay the jacket hood flat and measure the hood-side zipper or button line in centimetres.
- Use a flexible tailor's tape along the curve without pulling the hood fabric taut.
- Keep the damaged trim only as a reference for the zipper slider orientation or buttonhole style.
Inspect the hood-side zipper teeth, slider and snap hardware
Before ordering a replacement collar, confirm that the washing cycle or dry-cleaning solvent did not damage the fastening half sewn onto your coat. Check that every zipper tooth, starter box, insertion pin and press stud on the hood rim is intact. If the old trim's zipper half is still undamaged even though the fur pelt shrank, keep it safe and photograph both ends clearly so we can review the hardware.
- Verify that no zipper teeth or buttons were pulled off the hood edge in the wash.
- Photograph both ends of the hood-side fastener and any readable slider markings.
- Mention in your fit enquiry that the original trim suffered wash or heat damage.
Choose between natural fur and faux fur for the replacement
Replacing a ruined trim allows you to select either the same material family or a different finish from our catalogue. Whether your jacket is a Canada Goose, Parajumpers, Moose Knuckles, Mackage, Moncler, Fjällräven or Eddie Bauer parka, compare the material stated on each product listing and detach the new trim before any future laundering.
- Compare natural coyote, fox and raccoon trims alongside high-density faux-fur options.
- Always detach a removable fur ruff before washing or dry-cleaning the coat body.
- Store detached fur trims in a cool, breathable space away from radiators and sunlight.
What to send if the trim was sewn on or the hood was altered
Some parkas have an integrated fur border sewn directly into the hood seam, or a dry cleaner may have removed the damaged strip and stitched the edge closed. Photograph the current hood rim from end to end and record the full seam length in centimetres. We can review whether a sew-on replacement strip or a detachable conversion zipper is appropriate for your garment.
- Send a clear daylight photograph of the entire hood edge after the damaged fur was removed.
- Include the jacket brand, model name and measured seam length in centimetres.
- Wait for a fit assessment before cutting stitches or altering the hood yourself.
Not sure about the fit?
Contact us with your garment model, attachment type and measurement before ordering. Review any uncertain fastening details before making changes to your coat.
Ask for a fit review