SHEEPSKINS

Where do you source your sheepskins?

Our sheepskins are a byproduct of the meat industry. We do not produce enough sheep on our own farm so we source from other farms and butchers in the western United States, We are always searching for responsible farmers & small butchers to buy raw hides from within our region.

Do you use chemicals in your tanning process?

We use a vegetable extract known as mimosa. The mimosa comes from farms that grow these trees for the purpose of tanning. We also use a few other products to keep our solutions stable. Those products can be found in food production. All of the equipment we use except for the commercial washing machine was built here in house.

Are your hides organic?

The exact process we use is certified organic in England but not certified in the United States. Our process is very gentle. Those that visit the farm are shocked that there isn’t a nasty smell in our tannery shop.

Why are these hides any different then what I find in the big box stores?

Hopefully the answer to this question is quite evident from the information we put out and the values we stand for. The hides found in big box stores have been processed using chemicals such as aluminum, chromium, and formaldehyde. They are processed thousands at a time in big vats. Their system is based on a large output of nearly identical products. A cheap hide comes at a steep price to the employees and the environment. We are small, family operated, and easy on the environment. Our process isn’t feasible at a large scale due to the amount of hands-on labor and extended tanning time. We do not use harsh chemicals to speed up the process. We also do not use chemicals to soften the back of the hides. You will find our rugs much thicker and more durable then most.

Do you offer custom tanning for producers?

Yes. Information can be found on our tanning services page.