Fur bags and fluffy bags
Real Mongolian lamb or faux fur, how to tell them apart, and how to keep a fluffy bag fluffy.
A fur bag is a handbag covered in fur, and the long, curly, fluffy kind most people mean right now is either Mongolian lamb, which is real fur, or a synthetic imitation of it. Ours, the Fluff bag, is real Mongolian lamb on a soft rounded tote with two top handles, 45 × 35 × 20 cm, £120. Here is what that means, how to tell real from faux on any bag, and how to look after one.
The Fluff bag, in stock
What is Mongolian lamb?
Mongolian lamb is lambskin with long, curly wool, used for coats, cushions, throws and bags, and also sold as Tibetan lamb. Because the wool is still on the skin it grew on, it is fur rather than a fabric. The long curl is what tells it apart from shearling, which is sheepskin with the wool shorn short. The wool is naturally pale, so bright shades like purple and red are dyed.
Real fur or faux fur
“Faux fur bag” is the most common follow-up search to “fur bag”, so it is worth being plain about the difference. Neither is better at everything; they are different materials with different trade-offs.
| Real Mongolian lamb | Faux fur | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Wool on lambskin | Synthetic fibre, usually acrylic or polyester, on a fabric backing |
| Animal-free | No | Yes |
| The curl | The wool's own, and it lifts again with a shake | Set in the fibre, and can mat or frizz with wear |
| Rain | Keep it dry; air-dry slowly if it gets wet | Usually copes better with a damp day |
| Heat | Keep away from radiators, which dry out the skin | Keep away from radiators and irons, which can melt the fibre |
The Fluff bag is real fur and is not vegan. If you want a bag with no animal materials at all, every one of our jelly bags is TPU or PVC.
How to tell real fur from faux
Part the fur with two fingers and look at the base. Real fur grows out of skin, which looks like soft leather; faux fur is fibre knitted or woven into a fabric backing, often with a visible grid of threads. Then look at the tips: real hairs taper to a fine point, while synthetic fibres usually end blunt. On a bag you can usually do both at the seam or just inside the opening, where the fur meets the lining.
How to look after a fluffy bag
- Shake it out gently after carrying it, so the curls lift and separate.
- Spot clean marks with a barely damp cloth, and never put it in a washing machine.
- Untangle the curls with your fingers rather than a brush, which pulls them straight.
- Keep it out of the rain, away from radiators and out of strong sun, which can fade dyed fur.
- If it gets wet, air-dry it at room temperature, then shake it out again.
- Store it loosely in a breathable bag, not squashed, so the curls keep their shape.
- For a deep clean, take it to a specialist fur or leather cleaner.
When people buy fur bags
It is a seasonal search. In Google Trends for the UK, interest in “fur bag” and “fluffy bag” climbs from September and peaks in December, at about six times its June low, so most people start looking in October and November. If it is a present, our Christmas gift guide has the rest of the range by budget, and winter bags compares fur with rain-proof jelly for the cold months.
How to wear one
A fur bag is a big, soft shape, so it looks best next to smoother, plainer things, like a leather jacket, a long wool coat or dark denim, and it gives an all-black winter outfit the texture it is missing. Carry it by the handles or wear it on the shoulder; the Fluff bag's handles are long enough for both, and it comes in brown, black, grey, purple, red and sand.
Common questions
What is a fur bag?
A handbag covered in fur, real or faux. The fluffy, long-haired kind most people mean right now is either Mongolian lamb, which is real fur, or a synthetic imitation of it. The label should say which; if it only says “fur”, ask.
Is the jelli.world Fluff bag real fur or faux fur?
Real fur. The Fluff bag is real Mongolian lamb: long, curly wool still on the lambskin it grew on, on a soft rounded tote with two top handles, 45 × 35 × 20 cm, £120. It is not vegan. If you want an animal-free bag, every jelli.world jelly bag is TPU or PVC.
What is Mongolian lamb fur?
Lambskin with long, curly wool, used for coats, cushions, throws and bags, and also sold as Tibetan lamb. Because the wool is still on the skin, it is fur rather than a fabric. The long curl is what tells it apart from shearling, which is sheepskin with the wool shorn short. Bright shades like purple and red are dyed.
How can you tell real fur from faux fur?
Part the fur and look at the base. Real fur grows out of skin, which looks like soft leather; faux fur is fibre knitted or woven into a fabric backing, often with a visible grid of threads. Then look at the tips: real hairs taper to a fine point, synthetic fibres usually end blunt.
How do you clean a fur bag?
Gently, and mostly by not getting it dirty. Shake the fur out, spot clean marks with a barely damp cloth, untangle the curls with your fingers rather than a brush (a brush pulls curls straight), and never put it in a washing machine. For a deep clean, take it to a specialist fur or leather cleaner.
Can a fur bag get wet?
Real fur should be kept out of the rain where you can: water flattens the curls and soaks into the skin. If it gets caught in a shower, shake off what you can, let it air-dry at room temperature away from radiators and direct heat, then shake it out again so the curls lift.
When are fur bags most popular?
Autumn and winter. In Google Trends for the UK, searches for “fur bag” and “fluffy bag” climb from September and peak in December, at about six times their June low, so most people start looking in October and November.
How big is the Fluff bag?
45 × 35 × 20 cm (width × height × depth), which makes it bigger than the jelli.world jelly bucket (35 × 25 × 14 cm). It is roomy enough for an everyday carry, and the two handles are long enough to wear on the shoulder. Inside there is a snap fastening at the top and a black lining.
Shop every colour on the Fluff bag page, or email us at hello@jelli.world with anything this page didn't answer.
Last reviewed: 12 October 2026