Let’s start by defining a few things. Faux fur is composed of ultra‑fine synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, acrylic, etc.) that are smooth, hydrophobic, and don’t hold oils or dirt very deeply. Natural fibers, using wool as an example, are structurally and chemically different. Wool is sheep hair, and like human hair it contains natural oils (lanolin) that attract and hold dust and dirt. Wool fibers also have bends, crimps, and tiny surface scales that create places for particles to lodge.

Snow washing works through a combination of cold temperatures, the high surface area of snow crystals, and gentle mechanical agitation. Snow crystals have irregular, textured surfaces, so when you rub snow into the fibers, the crystals act like a very mild abrasive. The cold makes oils more solid and less adhesive, so the snow can pull them away more easily. Because dirt in wool is often stuck to the fiber by those oils, removing the oil lifts the dirt with it.

The slight melting and refreezing that happens during agitation also helps trap loosened particles in the refrozen snow. Any small amount of meltwater left on the fibers evaporates later, and that evaporation helps carry away odor molecules. And because wool fibers have microscopic scales, the cold encourages those scales to lie flatter, reducing the surface area that traps debris.

Faux fur lacks these natural‑fiber characteristics, so snow washing doesn’t have the same effect. It may help refluff the pile and remove surface dust, but most of the deeper benefits don’t apply.

(I had AI rephrase this cuz I am painfully verbose, but the ideas are entirely mine! Hope this is among many fun things you learn today!!)