The Beneficial Properties of Sheepskin
Sheepskin, like its shorn counterpart, wool, is a wonder fibre. It has been designed by nature to keep sheep clean and healthy outside through the many conditions they encounter. We’re certainly not the first to jump on this trend. Humans have been using sheepskin over the last 100,000 years for warmth, adventure, comfort and decoration for these very reasons.
Antimicrobial
Sheepskins are naturally antimicrobial and hypoallergenic. That’s because the fibres contain lanolin, a naturally occurring wax that is both antibacterial and antifungal. It keeps itself clean and is safe to live on, its truly a magical fibre.
Cool in Summer
To survive New Zealand’s harsh climate, a sheep’s fleece needs to protect them in freezing winters (-10°C) and keep them cool in our scorching summers (+30°C). Imagine wearing a layer designed to keep you optimally dry and comfortable in these extreme temperatures. This is the broad optimal thermal range for sheep’s wool.
Warm in winter
With no interference or special design from us, sheepskin’s insulating properties trap warm air, providing a cosy and inviting environment in winter, whilst its breathable structure, aided by its moisture-absorbing abilities and hydrophobic characteristics, works together to keep you cool and dry in summer. Part of the reason you feel so relaxed when you are sitting on or touching sheepskin is that it is regulating your body temperature and subconsciously putting you at ease.
Fire Resistant
A tanned sheepskin is resistant to short-term exposure to fire with temperatures up to 200°C. This means if you take a lighter, turn it on and hold it against a sheepskin, the sheepskin will start to shrink and curl but won’t catch fire or continue to burn. This makes it safe around fireplaces and outdoor fires as well as a much better alternative to synthetics, which melt under high heat and give off toxic fumes.
Hydrophobic
Eat, drink and be merry on your sheepskin product. Naturally occurring lanolin on the fibre creates a protective barrier, preventing water from penetrating deep into the fibres. It resists soiling and releases dirt easily, making it naturally dirt-repellent. If you do spill something on your sheepskin product, it usually only requires a gentle blot.
Long Lasting
Did you know that wool is stronger than steel, gram for gram? It’s the only unprocessed fibre that you can bend more than 20,000 times and still have it maintain its shape without ripping or breaking, which means you don’t need to be precious with your sheepskin product. Nature has designed sheepskin to be incredibly hard wearing so, when treated with basic care, our products will endure a lifetime of partying and family wear and tear.
Biodegradable
At the end of its useful life, sheepskin will naturally decompose. You don’t need to worry about it sitting in landfill for generations to come.
Primal comfort
We can wax on about the practical benefits of sheepskin all day, but generally what converts our community to choosing a piece of sheepskin is the feeling they get when they touch, sit, walk or lie on it. Sheepskin has been enjoyed by humans for over 100,000 years.
