Everything we get asked

Yes. Every cowhide and sheepskin we sell is a by-product of the meat industry: no animal is raised for its skin. A hide is worth only one to two per cent of the animal’s value, and more than 99% of the world’s leather comes from animals raised for meat. Turning the skin into something beautiful and lasting means nothing goes to waste.

Our cowhides come from Brazil, where most cattle graze outdoors on pasture and where our hides are tanned and finished. Our sheepskins are produced in Europe from British, European and Icelandic sheep, and our medical sheepskins from Australian merino. Our reindeer hides come from Finland. Each product page shows where its animal came from.

We do. We are a small family business, and we travel to choose our hides ourselves, for example our cowhides in Brazil. We buy directly, without distributors in between, which is how we keep the quality high and the prices fair.

After cleaning, the skin is tanned: a process that turns it into soft, lasting leather. The hair or wool stays on, so you get the natural pattern or the full, soft wool on a supple leather back.

For every piece photographed on its own, yes: our cowhides, reindeer hides and pictured sheepskins. The one in the photos is the one we send, with exactly those markings and that shape. Stock sheepskins in a size you choose are hand-picked for you, and like every sheepskin, yours is one of a kind.

For a chair or an armchair we recommend a sheepskin of about 110 cm or more, so it lies a little better, and from about 120 cm it makes a lovely rug for the floor. Most of our cowhides are about 200 to 240 cm long: a great size in front of a sofa, under a coffee table or beside a bed. Every product page shows its own size.

By hand, laid flat and without stretching. Sheepskins are measured on the wool side, diagonally from the head to the tip of the longest leg, rounded to 5 cm. Cowhides are measured from the top of the hide to the tip of the longest leg and across the widest point, rounded to 10 cm. Every hide has its own natural shape, so the sizes are a close guide.

Yes, everything we sell is real. You can tell by the back: a real hide or sheepskin has a leather back, while an imitation has fabric or latex. On a real cowhide the hair also lies in natural directions, and the pattern runs right to the edge.

On most pieces, yes. Our cowhides, brown and multicolour sheepskins and natural Icelandic skins keep the colour the animal grew. Mouflon skins have darkened tips, Rusty Icelandic skins have lightened tips, and our dyed Icelandic skins are named as dyed. The product details show the colour of each piece.

Every hide is different. Size makes the biggest difference, then the pattern and how rare it is: brindle and black cowhides, for example, are less common than brown. For sheepskins, the type and wool length matter too, so a long-haired Icelandic skin is priced differently from a British one. The price on each page is for that exact piece or size.

A cowhide is a single layer of leather with short hair, about 3 to 5 mm thick. That is what lets it lie flat, follow the floor and roll up easily. It feels smooth and soft underfoot, and it is tough enough for a busy room.

Only a little at first. A new cowhide can lose a few loose hairs and a new sheepskin a little loose wool; a gentle shake or brush takes care of it, and it soon settles. Reindeer hair is hollow and can break and shed a little over time, which is why a reindeer hide looks loveliest over a chair, on a bed or on a wall.

A little, at first. A new sheepskin can smell faintly of lanolin, the wool’s own natural grease, and a new cowhide of leather. Give it some fresh air and the smell fades within a few days.

Yes. A one-of-a-kind hide has exactly the same return rights as everything else we sell; being unique does not make it made to order. Our returns page has all the details.

Vacuum it now and then with the beater bar switched off, in the direction of the hair. Blot a spill straight away with a barely damp cloth and let it dry away from heat. We don’t recommend washing, soaking or steam cleaning a cowhide: water and heat can make the leather stiff.

Most sheepskins never need a real clean. Give it a good shake now and then, and brush longer wool with a sheepskin brush to keep it loose and soft. Short, shorn medical sheepskins do not tangle, so a shake is all they need.

For a spill, clean just the wool with a little wool shampoo and a damp cloth, keep the leather dry and let it dry flat away from heat. We don’t recommend a washing machine: water that soaks into the leather can make it stiff.

Wool needs very little care. Air it now and then and give it a good shake. When it needs more, take it to a dry cleaner and ask for a gentle wool clean: it keeps the wool looking its best for longest. We don’t recommend a washing machine, not even on a wool cycle, or a tumble dryer.

Yes. Hides travel folded, and the fold lines relax by themselves in about two weeks as the hide lies flat under its own weight. To speed it up, lay it hair side down for a day, or put a few heavy books along a stubborn fold overnight.

Place a sealed bag of ice on the spot and let the ice melt, then comb or brush the hair in the direction it lies, and the dent lifts again. Moving the furniture a little now and then keeps it from happening.

Strong, direct sunlight can lighten natural colours over time, as it does with every natural material. Turn your rug now and then and keep it out of strong direct sun, and the colours stay at their best for years.

It is a type of sheepskin with short, dense merino wool; ours comes from Australian merino sheep. The shorn version has wool of 2 to 3 cm that does not tangle, and the long-haired version has 4 to 6 cm. The name describes the type of sheepskin; it is not a medical device. Lovely on a bed, an armchair or a desk chair.

A sheepskin is lovely for a baby to play or lie on while you are right there, for example for tummy time on the floor. For sleep, follow safe-sleep advice: babies sleep best on a firm, flat mattress with nothing soft underneath, so a sheepskin stays out of the cot or pram at sleep time. For warmth in bed, our merino baby sleeping bag is worn over sleepwear instead of a loose blanket.

Yes, and they usually love it. A sheepskin is warm, soft and cosy, which is why pets often choose one over any other bed. A multicolour or brown skin hides everyday wear best, and a shake and a brush keep it fresh.

Very. The hair is short and smooth, so it does not trap pet hair or dust the way a deep pile does, and a vacuum keeps it clean. Dogs and cats love lying on them, and keeping their claws trimmed keeps the hide looking its best.

A cowhide, yes: it is thin, and underfloor heating stays at a gentle temperature it is happy with. A thick sheepskin keeps more warmth in, which over time can dry out its leather back, so on a heated floor we recommend a sheepskin on a chair or bed instead.

On tiles or polished wood, a non-slip rug underlay keeps a hide in place, and it helps the edges lie beautifully flat too.

Many years, with a little care. Leather and wool are naturally tough: a wool fibre can bend more than 20,000 times without breaking. Give it a shake, keep it out of strong direct sun, and your hide or sheepskin stays beautiful for a very long time.

One of the best. Sheepskin slippers, a merino blanket or a sheepskin for a favourite chair are used every day and feel special every time. To send a gift, simply enter the recipient’s address at checkout.

Fluffy wool blankets like these are made by anchoring the wool in a fine, elastic mesh. Without that base the fibres would not stay in place and the blanket would lose its shape. Every blanket made this way has such a base, even if not every shop lists it – we do, so you know exactly what you buy. The mesh is polyester because it is strong and light and keeps its shape, so the blanket does too. Everything soft is natural wool.

Yes. Our full-size wool blankets can be used just like a duvet, with or without a cover. Wool breathes, so you stay warm without overheating, and it feels wonderfully cosy.

Merino is one of the finest wools there is, usually about 15 to 24 microns. Fibres that fine bend softly against the skin instead of prickling, which is why most people find merino soft and comfortable.

Fineness. Merino comes from merino sheep and is roughly 15 to 24 microns. Lambswool is the first clip from a young sheep of any breed, usually 25 to 30 microns. Merino feels softer against the skin; lambswool is a little more robust.

Yes. The maker of our wool products confirms in a signed statement that all the wool it uses is 100% mulesing-free. Mulesing is a procedure used on some merino farms; the wool in our blankets, wool clothing and merino slippers comes from sheep that were never mulesed.

Many of them are. Our wool blankets, underblankets and baby blankets carry STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certificate 2011LK0005, and our merino gilets, merino slippers and baby clothes certificate 2013OK0574, both in product class I, the class set for baby articles. Our pure merino pile blankets are made by a Woolmark licensee. Each product page shows its own certificate, with a link to check it.

New wool can pill a little in the first weeks, where it rubs most. It is simply short, loose fibres working to the surface. Lift them off gently with a fabric comb, and it soon settles.

Keep it aired and clean. Moths are drawn to what is on the wool, like skin oils and food traces, far more than to the wool itself. Store your blankets clean and dry, and a sprig of lavender in the cupboard is a lovely extra.

As soon as your parcel is on its way, you get an email with a tracking link. Most orders arrive within 2 to 3 working days, and your expected delivery date is shown on every product page.

Delivery is free on orders of £75 or more. Below that it is £4.95, shown at checkout before you pay.

No. Your order arrives with no duties or import charges to pay on delivery: we take care of them.

You have 30 days from delivery to tell us, and then 14 days to send it back. Returns are free: we pay the return postage. Exchanges are free too. Our returns page explains how it works.

Every piece is packed carefully. Hides travel folded, and the fold lines relax by themselves within about two weeks once the hide lies flat.