High-quality mink fur should have dense, silky guard hairs and a thick, soft underwool. When you breath on the fur, it should part easily and spring back immediately. Check the pelt side (leather) by feeling through the lining; it should be supple, lightweight, and creamy-white, not stiff or yellowed. Genuine mink has a natural luster that synthetic fibers cannot perfectly replicate, and the 'burn test' on a tiny stray fiber will result in the smell of burnt hair and ash, whereas synthetics will melt into a hard plastic bead.