After decades of upheaval in the fur industry, a family-owned brand is returning to the market with handcrafted blankets, throws, jackets, and plans to expand into other outerwear products.
Schumacher Furs, a family business founded in Portland, Ore., in 1895, is returning to the fur business with a new collection of luxury home décor products, as its owner looks to capitalize on renewed consumer interest in genuine fur among the younger Zoomer generation and older legacy customers.
Gregg Schumacher, the company’s owner, said the business is focusing initially on fur blankets, throws and pillows sold through its website, schumacherfurs.com. He plans to reintroduce a broader selection of fur coats and jackets as the company rebuilds its operations, after "animal-rights" terrorist groups who attempted to destroy his original family operation nearly put him out of business 20 years ago.
“We’re back in the fur business,” Schumacher said in an interview. “I’m proud of it and excited with our new fur home decor selection.”
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The new collection features products made from fox, rabbit, mink, coyote, and muskrat fur. Fox has emerged as the company’s leading seller, according to Schumacher, who said customers can select different sizes, colors, and customize certain products to suit their homes.
The company’s blankets and throws start at approximately $1,450, while popular sizes measuring roughly 50 by 65 inches cost between $1,950 and $2,400, Schumacher said. Larger options extend to king-size bedspreads. Customers can choose between microsuede and quilted fabric linings, while the company also offers pillows with fur on one or both sides.
Schumacher sees home décor as an opportunity to reach customers who appreciate genuine fur, but may prefer to use it in their homes rather than wear it publicly, and use it all year round.
“A fur blanket is not seasonal,” he said, noting that customers in warmer markets, including California and Arizona, have purchased the products. Air-conditioned homes allow consumers to enjoy fur throws and blankets throughout the year, he added.
Schumacher traces the company’s history to his great-grandfather, who established the business in Portland, Ore. 131 years ago. The family subsequently expanded beyond retail operations into manufacturing and wholesale distribution, supplying products to department stores and fur retailers across the country.
He said the company once maintained approximately 350 wholesale retail accounts. Its products reached prominent North American retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s in New York, as well as other specialty fur businesses.
The company also developed global recognition, with wholesale sales reaching international markets such as South Korea and Japan, Schumacher said.
His own introduction to the trade began when he was about eight years old. His father took him to the family’s fur store, where his grandfather instructed him to begin by sweeping the floors before learning the craft.
Schumacher later apprenticed for approximately a decade, learning how to prepare and stretch pelts, sew fur garments, develop patterns, and construct coats from the ground up.
“I can start from scratch and make a fur coat with my own hands,” he said.
After completing college degrees in psychology, business administration, and marketing, Schumacher entered the family business full time, and eventually acquired all remaining ownership interests and became its sole owner.
Schumacher said violent animal-rights protests severely disrupted the company’s operations between 2005 and 2007. The physical threats against the family business forced the company to close most of its operations, while maintaining its legal corporate presence.
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He noted that consumers who wore fur in recent years face no physical attacks or vandalism. He said that his own inquiries among fur retailers had not substantiated reports of widespread incidents involving paint or other substances being thrown on customers’ garments. He also cited the absence of an increase in fur-coat insurance rates as proof.
"If you wear fur, expect many many compliments and consumers love the product, both men and women," said Schumacher.
"Men and women equally purchase fur blankets," he explained, saying many of his male customers like to impress their significant others with furs.
Animal-rights activists have long opposed the animal usage industry products such as meat, poultry, and furs, and oppose pet ownership. Schumacher argues that genuine fur offers an alternative to synthetic fur, which often contains petroleum-derived plastics. He maintains that natural fur biodegrades, is sustainable, and presents environmental advantages over synthetic alternatives.
For Schumacher, however, the renewed home décor business represents an opportunity to restore a family name that has operated for more than 131 years.
Unlike the company’s former retail operations, Schumacher Furs now operates primarily online. Customers can browse products, select available sizes, place orders directly through the company’s website, and allow 30 days for delivery. Schumacher said customers can contact the business by phone or email with questions about materials, customization, and availability.
The company has also begun a digital advertising campaign aimed at affluent consumers in Texas, in Aspen, Colorado, and in many other markets.
Schumacher said the campaign uses several short video advertisements designed to direct prospective customers to the website. He described the videos as emphasizing the look and feel of the products through luxury-oriented imagery rather than extensive text.
Schumacher said he has also received interest from prospective interviewers, including radio and TV personalities such as Scotty Saks on Sovereign Radio, as he works to reintroduce the brand to consumers.
The company’s immediate focus remains home décor, but Schumacher intends to expand its selection of coats and jackets once the business establishes a stronger footing.
“I’ve got to take one step at a time,” he said.
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