Akubra to use only European rabbits

[diabolicaldog]

I have seen the decline in the rabbit numbers first hand. When I first left school in the mid eighties we had a rabbit shooter that worked the farm I was on which totalled 40,000 acres. In one two thousand acre paddock he shot 2000 pair or 4000 rabbits in two weeks. Now with the active viruses 90% are gone and the work unviable for the few scattered remaining rabbits.

 

[mayserwegener]

Very true Rick!

In the 17th century, the fur trade emerged as a major commercial enterprise in North America due to European demand for felt hats made from beaver fur.

The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), chartered 2 May 1670, is the oldest incorporated joint-stock merchandising company in the English-speaking world. Originally headquartered in London, England, its head offices are located in Toronto. The group currently operates the following retailers: Hudson’s Bay, Home Outfitters, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Off 5th, Saks’ discount chain.

Now if only beavers bred like rabbits we would all be swimming in beautiful inexpensive hats. If we didn't make hats out of them we would all be swimming period behind all the beaver damns they build.

,,,Duper

I believe the furs where sold out of the fur exchange in London. America had to import fur from London until an exchange was opened sometime in the 1920s
I can't remember the details.
Leipzig was the source for fur out of East Europe.

 

[H Weinstein]

Alarming!

Uh-ohh! This was the most alarming thing in the news story:

"Akubra chief financial officer Roy Wilkinson said the company had to cut its rabbit skin processing operation, and import fur already processed. He said the company was not making money and needed to cut costs to stay in business. 'When your operation is losing money, you have to make a decision in the best interests of your total operation,' he said."

Folks here at the Lounge are certainly doing our part to keep Akubra in business!

 

[mayserwegener]

Not surprising. If you read (via translation) the Šešir article (as of 2011 they were still processing rabbit skins) I posted a view few posts back the owner expresses major concerns about the business in general. Most of the European companies would be out of business if they didn't have the Jewish customers making large custom orders. I don't believe Akubra has such business.