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Hong Kong's climate may be subtropical, but the city is a major hub for fur trading, selling expensive coats and accessories to retailers from colder countries such as Russia and Finland. At Hong Kong's annual fur fair, tall skinny models show off elaborate Hong Kong designed furs, ranging from full length white coats to grey furs with a large fluffy hood. Buyers from around the world watch on, eyeing style, colour and price. Anti fur protesters claim that people are wearing less fur coats than they used to. But according to the International fur trade organisation fur retail sales hit $13.5 billion dollars in 2006, growing 5.6 percent from the previous year. Hong Kong produces 80 percent of the world's fine fur garments, according to the city's fur federation. Newly emerging and cold climate markets such as Russia and China have added to a blossoming of demand for fur coats. Major fashion houses have started adding more fur to their designs and younger designers are playing with fur style and colouring. "Russia is our main fur market, it occupies 50-percent of our market share," said Sidney Lo, a sales manager at Dai-Ichi furs. Chinese consumers are also snapping up a greater number of furs, with buyers from northern China attending the fair to examine the latest offerings. Hong Kong's physical proximity to China manufacturing, coupled with family businesses based in Hong Kong has made the city a fur powerhouse. "In terms of manufacturing they've got something t...