Sheared beaver - Courtesy suebro

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Fur Your Information!

In the 17th century, beaver was primarily used for felt in the production of hats. The Russians were the masters of the fur trade until the European beaver was trapped into extinction. 17th century beaver exploration brought the French and British into Eastern Canada. In 1670 the British formed the Hudson's Bay Company, which granted a monopoly for the trade of beaver pelts from all lands around the rivers that drained into Hudson's Bay. By 1825 beaver supply was dwindling in Eastern Canada. New ways of treating other furs to better them for felt-making made beaver less necessary. An animal called nutria was discovered in South America and when compared to beaver it was much cheaper and just as good The beaver pelt fur trade was over by 1840 when the fashionable started wearing silk hats instead of fur felt.