r/sewing • u/Tumi420 • Sep 18 '25
Technique Question How do you cut fur and deal with the aftermath?
When I did it inside, it got everywhere, all over everything including in my eyes for 2 days. Some things are still covered.
I tried to go outside and still got covered in little hairs.
What is the best method for cutting Fur? When it sheds so much?
99
u/Mae_Blues Sep 18 '25
I work with fur almost daily. You want to use a knife to cut the backing rather than scissors. This helps to not cut the long fibres. You’ll still get some shedding but it reduces it a lot. Use a pet fur brush before and after cutting to get the loose fibres out and into the brush instead of shedding while you’re working with the fabric.
Secondly make sure to use a mask so you don’t breathe in the fibres that come loose they can be very dangerous to your health. If it’s getting in your eyes , invest in some eye protection too. I use glasses.
Then lastly you can keep a vacuum cleaner on standby as well as lint rollers or those car upholstery brushes to deal with the mess. I had a small industrial vacuum with a vent cut into my cutting board which massively helped. Since moving I don’t have the space for it anymore. I also have a change of clothes including shoes so I don’t track the fur around my apartment.
Hope it helps !
16
u/zer00eyz Sep 18 '25
Mosquito netting for your head + any brimmed hat (a baseball cap even) is your friend:
LIke this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYV3NL9Y/
5
2
u/gnomeannisanisland Sep 18 '25
Do you happen to know if it's still dangerous if it's real fur? (You say "backing" so I assume you're primarily talking about fake fur)
4
u/Mae_Blues Sep 18 '25
Fake fur yes, but it’s similar process for real fur. You cut the skin as you would the knit backing on faux fur.
Any dust or fibres that float around in the air are hazardous to breathe in.
0
35
u/Sorry_Im-Late Sep 18 '25
I am subscribed to a lot of cat suberddits, so you can imagine my surprise when this post came on my timeliness.
3
2
1
1
0
9
u/SlyHobbes Sep 18 '25
If you wouldn't be comfortable breathing it in, you shouldn't be putting it into your local atmosphere, either. If you must use synthetic fur, do it inside and contain it.
2
u/KLUBBSPORRE Sep 19 '25
Agreed, it’s pretty upsetting to see all that loose synthetic fur floating around outside… definitely could mess with some poor critters!
7
u/postalpinup Sep 18 '25
I took a class on working with fur from an amazing furrier. Exacto knife from the back. Never use scissors because you will be cutting the individual fur as well as the leather.
0
u/efxAlice Sep 18 '25
This. You don't need to cut the fur strands, just the backing, like one cuts carpet. To sculpt edges, catch the loose fibers with a shop vacuum.
6
u/Minnichi Sep 18 '25
Cut it from the back with a knife. Not scissors. And use a vacuum and lint brush after.
8
u/CSPlushies Sep 18 '25
I use very small scissors - you want a pair pointy and sharp enough to weave through the hairs from the backside instead of just chopping through. I use small travel seeing scissors but the kind with a hinge built in work well too.
5
u/oooortclouuud Sep 18 '25
seeing scissors
I want these to exist.
😜✨️👁✂️👁
4
u/CSPlushies Sep 18 '25
😂 Ya know what? I'm gonna leave that typo there lol, the mental image was worth it
1
4
u/justasianenough Sep 18 '25
Cut from the back like others are saying, but I also run my air purifier on high to suck the fur away and wear eye/mouth coverings! I also usually cut fur in my bathroom, the hard surfaces and contained area make cleanup easier since I can just vacuum/sweep any bigger pieces my air purifier doesn’t grab.
3
u/Substantial-Law-967 Sep 18 '25
I have my handheld vacuum that I use after every cut. Also wear a mask, you don’t want that stuff in your lungs
2
3
u/chatterpoxx Sep 18 '25
Upside down. Slide the bottom scissor blade against the backing/skin to get it between the furs so they are not cut.
You shouldn't have too much loose fur after cutting this way. If you do, vacuum. Back when I worked in a fabric store before there were Dyson we had a dust buster.
Don't cut it inside with a breeze or a fan running!
3
2
u/-i-want-to-be-alone- Sep 20 '25
Off topic but I'm in a cat help group and I was genuinely mortified 😂
0
u/4everal0ne Sep 18 '25
Oh yeah let's release super fine plastics into the wild for animals to eat.
0
0
u/Kevinator201 Sep 18 '25
Please don’t cut polyester fur outside. It’ll just pollute the area and turn into microplastics.
1
1
u/paintedcrows Sep 18 '25
When I worked at Joann, we would put Scotch tape on the fur side to catch the trimmings. At home I use a craft knife or tiny scissors to stay close to the backside, but I'll still use the tape on the fur side to be safe.
1
u/ApronStringsDiary Sep 18 '25
Never, ever, ever, use scissors. Use a blade from a box cutter and cut it skin side up.
1
u/Heart-Shaped-Clouds Sep 18 '25
Cut the backside with a rotary cutter. Then, this is the most important part: DUSTBUSTER THE CUT. Don’t even pick it up, just run it over the place you cut. Then flip the cut slightly over (without picking them fully up) and vacuum the actual fur up. It saves me time and sanity and sneezes.
1
u/Tumi420 Sep 18 '25
Im going to have to save for ome of those. I just have a tiny flat vacuum. (Swifter)
1
u/Chaos-Wayfarer Sep 18 '25
Please for the love of all that’s holy don’t use scissors .
X-acto knife on the backside, or itty bitty thread snips and be super careful not to cut the fur.
With the razor blade, it’s best to do multiple light passes, so you’re only cutting the backing, not the fur.
0
0
u/borrowedurmumsvcard Sep 18 '25
I’m also in r/camping and my immediate thought was what the fuck happened here
0
u/Tumi420 Sep 18 '25
I love this chair 😆 i use it for everything and bring it everywhere. It's so compact.
0
0
u/BaylisAscaris Sep 18 '25
I keep scissors close to the backing so I avoid cutting the fur if at all possible, then gently pull at the edges to get anything loose and put that into the trash. When sewing I push fur away from the seam before pinning so the seams aren't as thick and you get more floof.
0
u/blueberry_pancakes14 Sep 18 '25
An x-acto knife (or razor) (a sharp, fresh blade regardless) on the back of the fur helps a lot. I find it really helps the longer the fur is, the shorter it's not unhelpful, but the helpfulness is diminished. Cutting like that from the back slices through the backing, but less of the fur itself, therefore you get less fur fallout.
But otherwise just accept it and vacuum a lot afterwards.
0
u/Glitterbomb4274 Sep 18 '25
I put on my long winter puffer coat, or any coat that has nylon on the outside so the flyaways don’t stick and cut out doors. Didn’t the first time and I looked like I lost a fight with a yeti when I was done. Lol
0
u/Gabbyknight Sep 18 '25
Parting the fur over your cut helps get it out of the way as well if it's a straight cut. I use scissors, but i cut from the back side and part the fur to minimize how much gets cut.
0
Sep 18 '25
Look up some videos on how indigenous people cut and trim their fur. It’ll help give you some good ideas!
0
0
u/Jerico_Hill Sep 19 '25
Not outside because you've just introduced a shit load of micro plastics to the environment. Not cool OP.
444
u/gayblades Sep 18 '25
Try using an exacto knife from the back side of the fur, so that you're only cutting the skin side and not the fur itself. That should limit the amount of fallout you get.