Sheepskin is a single tanned hide with the fleece left on, so one side is soft leather and the other is wool. Woodheads stocks sheepskin in three grades: a long pile décor grade over 30mm, a footwear and lining grade at 18mm to 20mm, and a medicated grade tanned for frail care. It is hypoallergenic, breathable and a genuinely good insulator, which is why it works as well in a slipper as it does under a patient.
DECOR SHEEPSKIN
LONG PILE, OVER 30MM
FOOTWEAR SHEEPSKIN
USED AS A LINING IN SLIPPERS, BOOTS AND JACKETS. PILE IS 18MM - 20MM
MEDICATED SHEEPSKIN
SPECIALLY TANNED FOR FRAIL AND MEDICAL CARE
THE THREE GRADES AND WHAT EACH IS FOR
Décor sheepskin carries a pile over 30mm and is used for rugs, throws, seat covers and interior work. It comes in charcoal, light grey, natural, emerald green, baby pink, black and baby blue.
Footwear sheepskin runs an 18mm to 20mm pile and is the lining grade for slippers, boots, jackets and collars. The shorter pile compresses less, so it holds its loft inside a shoe.
Medicated sheepskin is tanned to a different standard for people who are bedridden or in a wheelchair, where the fleece spreads pressure and moves moisture away from the skin.
SHEEPSKIN AND SHEARLING
Sheepskin and shearling are often used as if they mean the same thing. Sheepskin is the tanned hide with the wool left as it grew. Shearling is sheepskin with the wool trimmed to an even length, which is what gives a shearling coat its flat, uniform face. Both are real hide. Anything sold as sheepskin effect or faux sheepskin is a woven synthetic and a different product.
LOOKING AFTER SHEEPSKIN
Sheepskin does not want a washing machine or hot water. Shake it out, brush the wool with a wire pet brush to lift the pile, and spot clean with a wool-safe detergent in cool water. Dry it flat and away from direct heat, since heat shrinks and hardens the leather side. Done that way, a sheepskin lasts for years.
Sheepskin is one of the few materials that works for décor, garments and medical care from the same rack, and the grade matters more than the colour. Woodheads holds all three grades at the Cape Town and Pinetown branches, and the team will point you to the right pile depth for the job. Full sheepskins are sold singly, so there is no need to commit to a bundle for one project.