十八世紀俄國不斷尋找新的毛皮產地，從西伯利亞到堪察加半島，進而向東進入阿留中群島和阿拉斯加半島，獵獲大量皮毛。中國北方冬天寒冷，需要大量的毛皮，因此成為俄國毛皮最重要的輸出地。 乾隆皇帝派人到恰克圖採購毛皮，內務府僅選取珍貴的毛皮留做皇室的服飾，其餘變價出售，其利潤約為10%。又，乾隆朝唐努烏梁海進貢的毛皮，其質量似乎比不上東北所產的毛皮，故多數變價。內務府變價的毛皮數量之多，有助於毛皮在京城之普及，以此展現十八世紀中國物質文明的進步。 毛皮服飾的傳播由宮廷傳至民間，乾隆皇帝對裁縫匠製作服飾過程表示意見。又，大量賞賜大臣、侍衛等毛皮服飾。內務府衣庫一年僱用裁縫匠超過一萬個工作天以上。裁縫匠成造服飾除了提供皇室之需，也推廣毛皮服飾至民間。

During the eighteenth century, Russia constantly sought new sources of fur. They obtained large quantities from Siberia and the Kamchatka Peninsula to as far east as the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. The cold winter weather in North China insured a ready market for fur, and China became the most important destination for Russian fur export. Upon the establishment of a trading relationship between China and Russia in the region of Kiakhta during the Ch’ien-lung reign, the dispatched missions to Kiakhta to buy fur. Imperial purchases made up nearly three percent of the total volume traded. The Imperial Household Department only chose the most valuable fur for the imperial dress and sold the rest at a profit of about ten percent. During the Ch’ien-lung reign, most of the fur obtained from T’ang-nu-wu-liang­hai (which was inferior to that of the northeast) was sold. The Imperial Household Department sold almost 600,000 silver taels worth of fur during this period, which stimulated the popularization of fur in the capital and contributed to the development of Chinese material cu1ture. Emperor Ch’ien-lung was very particular about what he wore, giving many opinions on the design, tailoring, production, and alteration of his clothing. Furs were also presented to ministers and guards as rewards. The Imperial Household Department employed tailors for over ten thousand man-days a year. The tailors not only made clothes for the Imperial family but also popularized the wearing of fur outside the court.