Kopenhagen Quality Labels



Kopenhagen Swakara - The Kopenhagen Fur Quality Label


Kopenhagen Fur was launched as an international quality brand. The original idea was to emphasise Danish standards of production and sorting for mink and fox. On the 8th of March 2006 Kopenhagen Fur extended their labelling system to Swakara. To this day, Swakara is the only fur type that is both produced and sorted outside Denmark, to carry this exclusive label; this is because our production standards and sorting standards are acceptably high, high enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.


We are proud that Kopenhagen Fur believe in Swakara, they show this faith by giving their own name to our brand. This is a special partnership we have developed since the early 1990’s, and one which is bearing fruit in exposure through the Kopenhagen Fur label and Kopenhagen Studio. While the Kopenhagen Fur labels are undoubtedly gaining acceptance in the fashion and retail world, we are still frequently asked for the original Swakara labels, and these are provided to our customers on request. The two labels are not competing against each other, they merely present our customers with a choice on how they wish to say; this is Swakara, the finest karakul the world has ever known!


A question of balance

Naturaly, not every karakul pelt produced in south western Africa qualifies to be called Swakara, some are rejected by the Karakul Board as not suitable to represent the coveted brand name of Swakara and are banned from export. While low grade, spotted and damaged pelts are sold as Swakara, they are not given a Kopenhagen quality label, so, in auction terms, they are designated as “unlabelled”. The remaining pelts, the regular collection are all given Kopenhagen Fur labels, and so are referred to as labelled goods.
 

Kopenhagen Fur quality labels consist of four qualities, each represented by a colour. The philosophy behind the labels is that all these grades are of a recognised quality standard, all are desirable in their own right, the basic components of hair quality and hair length are in balance. labelled goods are a guarantee of quality, balance, and high sorting standards that ensure consistency. A buyer can purchase labelled Swakara goods knowing that he can make desirable garments, or have desirable trimming material. These quality labels slot into our own quality system, encompassing all of our regular grades.


Catalogue label description        Quality

Kopenhagen Purple                        Selected *

Kopenhagen Platinum                     One

Kopenhagen Burgundy                    Two

Kopenhagen Ivory                          Three


* In some collections we have two grades higher than Purple. The auction catalogue distinguishes Selected, Selected Extra, and Selected Super by Purple, Purple Extra, and Purple Super respectively.