In recent years, the changes and developments in society have been plain for all to see: alongside the emergence of new industries, many traditional sectors have also been phased out.

It can be said that, with the progress of the times, no industry can guarantee enduring longevity. We have also witnessed many sectors rise to prominence only to decline and eventually disappear from the market.

Take the internet café industry, for example: there was a time when heading to an internet café to go online was the greatest pastime for many young people. Back then, whenever they had free time, they’d rush to the café to play games; even with computers at home, plenty of people still preferred going to the internet café to get online.

However, in recent years, internet cafés have been closing down one after another, and the few that remain have largely transformed, upgrading into cybercafés that offer a wide range of services.

Of course, beyond internet cafés, many other industries are also facing this challenge—for instance, the fur industry, once hailed as “soft gold,” now finds itself largely ignored by the market.

In the eyes of many, fur remains exceedingly expensive; once upon a time, it was the exclusive domain of the wealthy, with each piece often costing upwards of tens of thousands—far beyond the reach of the average consumer.

However, fur today has become increasingly cheap, with prices dropping to between 2,000 and 7,000 yuan per piece. Some department stores have even been “forced” to slash prices to wholesale levels, yet they still fail to attract consumers. Even many businesses in the fur industry have been closing down one after another.

Data show that, from 2020 through September, more than a thousand fur‑related businesses in China have gone out of business, and many in the industry have already switched to other sectors. In terms of market transaction prices, they typically amount to only about one-third of the retail tag price.

In the past, during the autumn and winter seasons, fur products would hit the market, and consumers would practically “rush to buy” them. Today, however, despite department-store sales and discounts, very few customers are willing to make a purchase.

The peak of China’s fur industry arguably occurred between 2000 and 2013, during which the fur‑animal farming sector posted annual growth rates of around 30 percent. For a time, China even emerged as the world’s largest consumer market for fur.

However, in recent years, as awareness of animal protection has grown, consumers have increasingly stopped purchasing animal fur. Since 2014, mink‑fur sales have been on a steady decline, falling for seven consecutive years to date.

It is foreseeable that the “golden age” of fur has long since passed; since the industry began its downward trajectory, the number of people engaged in fur procurement has declined sharply.

Even many buyers who stockpiled furs several years ago have yet to sell them, and with the market awash in excess supply, the fur industry is experiencing sluggish sales.

However, some industry insiders remain optimistic about this market. They note that as the “winter” in the fur industry is drawing to a close and mink prices have now fallen to rock-bottom levels, they believe the sector could soon reach an inflection point.

After all, with a large number of industry players switching careers and many shops closing, the costs of starting a fur farm have also fallen. Once the market develops demand for fur, those who remain in the industry will still be able to turn a profit.

After all, opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. As for when this turning point will arrive, it could be in a year or two—or perhaps in four or five. As long as the industry embraces timely transformation and keeps pace with evolving consumer tastes, it is entirely possible for fur to regain its appeal in the market.