Fur Sporrans

Sporrans have been traditionally made of pelts for hundreds of years. Many people ask "Why do you carry natural pelt sporrans?" and "Why does it take so long to get one of these sporrans?". The answer for both is ecological responsibility and a "best benefit" model.

The natural pelt sporrans we carry are not farmed, meaning that the animal whose pelt is used was not raised for that purpose. It is our belief that raising animals to make pretty sporrans is cruel. Instead, we choose to support the First Nations, especially the Northern Peoples above the Arctic Circle. The pelts used in making the sporrans we carry are 100% obtained through the First Nations, which are Native American peoples of many different backgrounds. The animals are hunted for food. Their natural subsistence includes hunting animals for food. The animals are not raised for pelts, or hunted for sport, but are a major component in their diet. Without hunting, many would not be able to survive. It is part of their way of life.

The pelts are not wasted- they are traded outside of the First Nations for money to pay for items that they need but cannot generate themselves or obtain on their own. An example is diesel fuel. The pelts are traded at fair market value for the items they need from outside. This is how the sporran manufacturer obtains quality pelts in a humane, natural manner.

As part of the US Customs laws, imported fur for a luxury purpose, such as fur coats, carries a high tarriff, which the importer passes on to the customer as part of the price. However, imported fur for ethnic and cultural purposes, such as a sporran, is exempt from such duty as long as we can certify that it is being imported as result of an order by a customer. In essence, we can't stock a large number of fur sporrans without having to pay duty on each, and pass that cost on to you, the customer. The duty is up to 40% of the item cost, so it's not an inexpensive proposition. And, we have to pay the duty on those sporrans as they are brought into the country, no matter if the sporran is sold or not.

In short, the most economical, ethical, and fair way to import these sporrans and sell them is by the following procedure:

An order is placed, then if the sporran is immediately available at the manufacturer, it ships to us, and then to you. If it is not immediately available and needs to be made, then it can take up to 2 weeks for it to be made in Canada. Shipping time is approximately 1 week from Canada, so a pelted sporran can take 1-3 weeks to ship from us. Please make note of the shipping time, as "Overnight" and "2 Day" shipping is from US to you, not from Canada. If you need the sporran urgently, and it is in stock in Canada, we can arrange to have it shipped directly from Canada to you, either by Expresspost (about a week shipping time) or by UPS Overnight or 2 Day. Shipping costs are much much higher for expedited shipping from Canada, and we will custom quote shipping costs for you on request. An overage overnight shipping cost from Canada to a US residential address exceeds $150.

Leather Sporrans

We carry a large number of sporrans, more than we can physically hold here. Most of our sporrans are shipped in from the manufacturer in response to an order. If they have it immediately available, transit time is about a week to us and then your chosen shipping method to you. If it is not immediately available at the manufacturer, it can take up to 3 weeks to ship. We will advise you of any delays in shipping time once your order is placed.

We thank you for understanding our methods for ultimately keeping your cost down and being a reponsible and ecologically friendly retailer.