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Bark-Tanned Sheepskins
CARE GUIDE
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CARE GUIDE ✧
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DO NOT store your Sheeper in an airtight container. This will cause it to collect moisture and damage it.
Store it in a place with air flow.
Just like anything in life, don’t forget to take that baby outside and shake her out every once in a while. You can let your sheepskin air a little bit in the sun, but don’t leave it in direct sunlight for long periods of time.
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Use a pet brush to fluff your sheepskin back into shape gently. Use a wide, gentle tooth to keep the fiber intact. Metal fine teeth will disrupt the fiber structure and change the hide’s appearance. After brushing, shake it out to bring back some of its natural structure.
Photo guide of pet brushes to use coming soon!
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You can put your freshly adopted bark-tanned Sheeper in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water and a wool-friendly detergent.
WARNING: All wool can felt in the washing machine.
When washing wool from long wool or fine wool breeds, be prepared to almost always see felting. Hand wash those sheepers in a tub or large basin. When wetting the wool, remember to brush or rub the fiber in one direction. Do not rub back and forth; felting will occur.
Never put a sheepskin in the tumble dryer. Air dry on a line and gently stretch the sheepskin over a surface like a wooden porch railing as it dries.
About the Tannery
Driftless Tannery offers natural tanning services for sheepskin, goat, deer, and elk hides. Hides are tanned in the most eco-friendly way using gentle soaps and bark tannins, not the heavy metals or harsh chemicals found in the industrialized tanning industry. The two owners, Beth and Danielle, work alongside their pack to produce beautifully tanned hides every week. The quality, care, lovely smell, and level of craftsmanship you’ll see with each hide is unmatched, and who doesn’t love a female-owned co-op style tannery from my Mitten Homeland? Once preserved + ready to be adopted into their new homes, the hides are returned to the owners. Beth + Danielle gather hides from local butchers across the Midwest keeping them from becoming a part of the waste stream. I’m so fortunate to be able to share them with you, alongside my own + other local craftsman’s work when available.