Acrylic, one of those synthetics that snobs love to hate, is enjoying a fashion romp.
Cleverly disguised as a jungle cat, beaver, mink, lamb or something feathery, acrylic began gamboling down runways several months ago.
Today it's on best-seller lists from retailers all over the globe.
When this once-lowly fiber, derived from petroleum byproducts, made its debut in 1950, it quickly became known as a knit that pilled, yellowed and had all the appeal of plastic chain mail.
Those characteristics are history.
Acrylic has been retooled and updated to emerge in some of the hottest (not literally) fashion fabrics of the season. "It's a chameleon fiber," declares Cindy Abbott, spokeswoman for the Acrylic Council.
Today, acrylic may take on animal, avian or other disguises, but it maintains its carefree personality. It appears as pile in pretty but sensible outdoor gear or as silky chenille for day or evening apparel. Sometimes it's just a plain old sweater, or one of the newer breeds of knits favored by golfers -- a sweater that repels water, for example. All forms are adored for offering warmth without weight.
But it's in the faux fur department that acrylics really stand out. They're politically correct, varied as the animal hides they're saving, and attractively priced. A faux fur rarely sells for more than $500. Most are $150-$300.
Don Eatz, president of Monterey Fashions, a New York manufacturer of the coats, says his business is up about 90 percent, "and it isn't even cold yet."
Mr. Eatz thinks it's because fake -- now upgraded to "faux" -- furs have become socially acceptable. Early season market research backs him up. Women's Wear Daily, in a recent "Tapping Into the Trends" story, reports fake fur outerwear selling well throughout the country, even in the South.
Mitchell Fox, animal issues director for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Seattle, has "no problem at all" with fake furs. Mr. Fox says the spotted furs are especially fun because most people realize they're just an imitation of endangered animals.
"People feel they're wearing something that's environmentally friendly," Mr. Eatz suggests. The furs are also much better, technically, than they were 20 or more years ago. They're lighter and softer -- factors that make them drape beautifully. That means designers can put more styling into coats.
Designs are created on a computer in just a few hours, instead of being hand-drawn. A computer disc goes into the knitting machine and out comes the fabric from the computer-generated design.
Gary Petersen, director of marketing for Monsanto's acrylic fiber business, says the company is now able to make colored fiber, so fabrics don't have to be dyed after knitting. And the manufacturer can produce a finer denier that translates to softer, more supple yarn.
Acrylic makers are also able to affect the luster. In other words, acrylic doesn't have to be shiny any more. It can be dull, flat or more closely resemble the sheen of an animal.
And while some designers delight in making fur look as fake as possible, some is so realistic it's tough to spot. Ms. Abbott says fakes are lighter in weight than natural furs. A person would have to be intimately acquainted with various pelts to be able to tell the difference by touch alone.
"Furs have always had a look of luxury, an aura of having arrived. Fake furs today offer that without the weight or price," Ms. Abbott says. And although acrylic is usually washable, faux fur coats come with dry-clean-only tags.