Fritze’s Furs is Alaska Native owned and has been in operation since 2006. They create unique and intricately hand sewn trapper style fur hats, headbands, earmuffs, trimmed gloves, teddy bears, mittens of various sizes, and other miscellaneous fur products. The majority of the fur sewn by the artists is high quality and sustainable fur from beaver, fox, land otter, wolves, mink, muskrats, and marten that were primarily harvested from the Bristol Bay region.
About the owners: Annie Fritze was born in Dillingham, Alaska and raised in a small Yup’ik village of New Stuyahok. The art of innovative sewing methods and how to skillfully hand sew fur into winter wear were taught to Annie from traditions passed down from her rich cultural Yup’ik heritage by her late grandmother, Natalia E. Blunka and aunt Annie Andrew. Annie’s husband Todd is an accomplished fur trapper taught by his Yup’ik father in law Nick Gumlickpuk and has learned some of the traditional techniques of fur trapping and selling the pelts.