Kastoria. History of fur.

Greek fur coat. This phrase has already become a kind of motto that people get used to it. Very often people don’t think about it or don’t pay much attention to it. And completely in vain! Because in phrase "Greek fur coat" lies, in fact, the whole history of world and European fur industry.

Kastoria and Siatista are among the few regions not only in Greece, but also in all of Europe, where centuries-old traditions of fur and leather processing are still going on.

The craftsmanship of fur processing leads to ancient times. But when and how the history of fur production began in Kastoria, one can’t say with confidence. Some say that the city was famous for its masters in ancient times, others that the monks possessed the art of skirmishing, but it is for certain known that in the 10th century in the Byzantine Empire masters from Kastoria taught methods of processing skins. And it was the masters from Kastoria who developed the method for processing fur waste products: tails, paws, foreheads, which turned out to be very important. After all, in fur production, each fur coat is unique!

At the beginning of the 15th century, more workshops from Istanbul were transported to Kastoria, since the masters were mostly Greeks, then with the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire they returned to their native land.

And already in the beginning of the 17th century there were the craftsmen - furriers from Kastoria who had large trading houses in many European cities. Trade and fur processing successfully continued to develop in the following centuries, furriers prospered, built huge mansions, where on the first floor there was certainly a workshop for processing and sewing fur. Traveling through the world, craftsmen from Kastoria and Siatista founded colonies, created communities of furriers, transferring their experience and the science of craftsmanship from generation to generation.

70th years of the 20th century. It was a golden era for Kastoria. About 6,000 large and small factories functioned here and about 15,000 workers were involved. In these years, Kastoria ranked 2nd in the world in per head income. And in our difficult times, the furriers of Kastoria did not lose their skills, but also steadily strengthen their positions.

Now in the region there are about 3,573 enterprises registered in the fur industry. Greek masters sew for high fashion companies, work with such countries as Russia, Korea, China, United Arab Emirates (Dubai).

It is well-known that good fur coat means Greek master. The old skill and virtuosity of the Greek furriers still will please women, wearing a fur coat.

We are waiting for you in Greece for fur coat.