How is sheepskin tanned? From raw hide to soft fleece

A sheepskin is only soft, durable and odour-neutral once it has been tanned. Tanning turns the raw hide into leather that does not rot and stays supple. Here you will find out how it works and how to recognise good tanning.

What tanning does

Raw hide consists of protein fibres that harden or decay without treatment. Tanning agents bond with these fibres and make them permanently stable. The result is leather that withstands warmth, moisture and daily use.

The steps of sheepskin tanning

1. Cleaning and soaking

The raw hide is washed, freed of fat and dirt and soaked in water. This way it later absorbs the tanning agents evenly.

2. Bating

Bating opens up the structure of the leather. Enzymes or mild acids loosen the fibres so that the tanning agents can penetrate deeply. This step determines the later softness.

3. Tanning

Now the actual tanning agent comes into play. Vegetable tanning with barks and fruits is considered especially natural and takes longer. Mineral tanning is faster and makes the leather very supple and washable. Both methods have their merits.

4. Oiling, drying, finishing

After tanning, the leather is re-oiled, dried slowly and worked until soft. The wool is combed and, if needed, sheared or dyed. Finally comes the inspection: even leather, dense wool, no odour.

How to recognise good tanning

• The leather is soft and bends without cracking.
• The fleece smells neutral, not of chemicals.
• The wool is firmly attached and does not fall out when brushed.
• The back is evenly light and smooth.

What this means for your sheep stool

For our stools, cushions and seat pads we use only properly tanned sheepskins, above all German sheepskin, Icelandic sheepskin, Tibet-Locki and lambskin. Every fleece is checked before it is used. To keep the leather supple for a long time, the rule for care is: little water, no hot water, no heat when drying. You can read more in our article Washing sheepskin.