The Tanning Process
Soaking
To Re-hydrate cured (salted) sheepskins.
Washing
The skins are washed in hot soapy water.
Fleshing
This is done on the traditional beam (tanneries were originally called beamhouses) hence the old saying: "leather is made or marred in the beamhouse..."
Pickling
The skins are now preserved in a brine solution.
Tanning
The pickled sheepskins are now changed into fully washable leather, a highly skilled and critical process.
Oiling
This process makes the leather supple.
Toggling and Racking
The skins are now stretched out prior to drying.
Drying
A key part of the process. Drying is an art in itself.
Tumbling
The sheepskins are now tumbled to soften the leather (like wearing in new shoes).
Buffing
Using a granite wheel weighing 120lbs, and spinning at 1000rpm. The grain of the leather is now polished to highlight the seude nap.
And finally.......
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Trimming
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Hand Combing
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Hand Finishing
These last stages are the most demanding and time consuming, requiring craftsmanship of the highest order. It's at this stage that every SKYESKYNS' fleece reaches its full potential.