A fibres expert has identified items which are most consistent with rabbit, raccoon dog, mink and cat being mis-sold to consumers as faux fur.

Fur farms were banned in the UK in 2003, but foreign farmed fur is still finding its way in to British retailers’ supply chains from Asia – and being mislabelled as synthetic material.

We found real animal fur being sold in department store House of Fraser and fast fashion outlet Missguided – despite both retailers having fur-free policies.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International told Sky News: “We are finding an increasing amount of real fur being sold either mislabelled or not labelled at all as real fur, in the last couple of years in the UK.

“This is a problem in two ways. Firstly it’s a problem for the animals who are suffering awful, deprived lives and excruciating deaths on fur farms and traps around the world to produce these products.

“And secondly, it’s a problem for consumers, who are not being protected from unfair trading, who want to shop ethically and avoid the fur trade.”

All the items Sky News found were labelled as “made in China” and priced at £30 or under.

Ms Bass claims mass fur farming in Asia had driven down prices.

She said: “Life is really, really cheap in the fur farming industry. These animals are kept in appalling conditions; they’re denied veterinary care, they are fed terrible food.”

Fibres expert Phil Greaves who tested the products told Sky News the mislabelling of real animal fur is “becoming increasingly common, particularly over the past five years.”

Shopper Donna Allison bought a pair of pink stiletto heels from fast fashion retailer Missguided, with pom poms that she immediately suspected were real fur.

She says she was disappointed that despite contacting Missguided on Twitter with her concerns, they simply “dismissed it as being faux” – in line with their no fur policy.