thumb|upright=1.25|A large group of fursuit owners (fursuiters) at a convention in 2007
Fursuits are custom-made anthropomorphic animal costumes owned and worn by cosplayers and members of the furry fandom, commonly known as "furries"; a furry who wears a fursuit is called a fursuiter. The term is believed to have been coined in 1993 by Robert King. Unlike mascot suits, which are usually affiliated with a team or organization, fursuits most commonly represent an original character created by their wearer, and are often better-fitting and more intricately crafted, with features such as a moving jaw.
Most early fursuit making was done by the suit's owner using guides released by members of the community, with one of the most prominent being Critter Costuming, a 2004 manual by Adam Riggs. However, by the mid-2000s, the demand for high-quality fursuits was high enough that fursuit making became a viable business.
Construction
thumb|upright=1.3|A fursona [[model sheet|reference sheet used as part of the design and build process for constructing a fursuit]]
Fursuits originated due to the dissatisfaction with the quality of mass-produced mascot costumes.
To have a fursuit fit correctly, many fursuit makers want a "duct tape dummy" to be made, which will measure and represent the wearer's body during the construction process. Fursuits are often made with faux fur that may be sourced from places like the Los Angeles Fashion District. although many modern-day suits are machine-washable.
Types
thumb|left|alt=Two people wearing costumes resembling kitsune, foxes with masks and multiple tails|Partial fursuits incorporate different types of clothing and accessories alongside fursuit parts, such as tails and paws.
Besides the typical full-body suit, the partial suit, where the suit's body is substituted by normal clothing, is a popular variation. Three-quarter suits only include part of the body, like the torso or legs, appearing similarly to a talking animal character. A plush suit is a suit that is made to look like a stuffed animal/plushie. There are also fursuits made of other materials, such as spandex or latex.
Fursuits can range from cartoon-styled to hyper-realistic. Researcher Courtney Plante stated in 2015 the vast majority of furries "don't want to hear about sex in fursuits, and while they might not reject you, they don't want to know."
Furries who own a fursuit often base them on a "fursona", an anthropomorphic character that represents themselves.
Fursuits are usually worn to furry conventions such as Midwest FurFest and Anthrocon. Some fursuits of existing characters are made for the purposes of cosplay and are worn to anime or gaming conventions. They are also worn in public, though this often requires a spotter or handler to ensure the safety of the performer from things like rowdy people, exhaustion or accidents due to limited vision. A 2019 survey of fursuit owners reported that wearing a fursuit is an infrequent activity, with most wearing them less than once per month.
Esports champion SonicFox became notable in the gaming community for participating in and winning fighting game tournaments while wearing a partial fursuit of their fursona created by fursuit maker Yamishizen.