CEDAR CLOSETS
Never store your fur in a cedar closet. Cedar closets are great for materials that contain no moisture. They work well for preventing odors in such materials. This is because Cedar wood absorbs moisture from the air. Needless to say, this is very bad for fur, as it will dry it out. Natural oils in the leather and hairs of fur are necessary, and once depleted the biodegradation process speeds up exponentially. Once the natural oils are gone from a fur there is no way to replenish them. The leather in your fur may begin to tear as easily as tissue paper. This is the end for a fur garment.
MOTH BALLS
Do not store your fur with moth balls. Moth balls are made from naphthalene, a toxic hydrocarbon derived from coal tar. Moth balls react with moisture in the air (and in the natural oils of your fur) and exudes gas acting as a fumigant. This chemical reaction can cause irreparable damage to fur and leather very quickly. Please note: Mothballs are a danger to both children and pets and can be fatal if swallowed. Naphthalene has also been linked to nasal cancer.
GARMENT BAGS
Do not store your fur in a bag of any type. Bags (especially plastic) reduce air flow and therefore circulation of moisture, which can speed up the drying out (biodegradation) of your fur. Bags (especially cloth) can also cause wear and broken hairs over time, at the points where it rests against the fur. For the same reason do not try to protect your fur from dust by hanging a piece of cloth over the shoulders. Use of garment bags is OK for travel and short periods of time when you are specifically trying to protect your fur.
FUR AND HEAT SOURCES
Hang your fur away from heat sources such as radiators and heat vents. Heat can cause dry-rotting. Dry-rot is when the natural oils in the leather and hairs of the fur are evaporated and the biodegradation process speeds up exponentially. Once the natural oils are depleted from a fur there is no way to replenish them. The leather in your fur may begin to tear as easily as tissue paper. This is the end for a fur garment.