What is lambskin?
Lambskin is a natural product that, thanks to its centuries-long use, is not only a symbol of tradition, craftsmanship and quality, but has also become an absolute must-have in many households in recent years. The trend is increasingly moving towards high-quality and sustainably produced natural products and away from mass-produced items. Lambskin brings its popular properties directly from nature. Hardly any other natural product offers such an unforgettable cuddling experience and a luxurious shine as warm, fluffy wool.
The unique softness and fluffiness of lambskin can be attributed to the fact that the lambs from which the fur is obtained are generally younger than 12 months old and the fibers are therefore particularly fine and dense. This is also the biggest difference to sheepskin, which is obtained from older sheep. Due to its special softness, lambskin is particularly popular as a piece of clothing, decorative element in the living room or as a carpet.
Origin and selection of lambs
While lambskin production was rather pragmatic and simple back then, it is now becoming more efficient and more differentiated thanks to centuries of experience and the high quality promise. For example, people have discovered that not every breed of sheep has the same wool quality.
Breeds with a fairly dense and fine wool, such as Merino, Suffolk and Rambouillet, are particularly preferred.
But not only the breed, but also species-appropriate husbandry and careful care of the lambs have a positive effect on their wool quality and are at the same time essential for ethically acceptable lambskin production. In times when animal welfare and sustainability are increasingly becoming more important, there are more frequent discussions about lambskin production. Many lambskin producers therefore now ensure that they only use skins from lambs that have been kept in species-appropriate conditions and skins obtained by the side during slaughter for meat production.
The production process of lambskin
First steps
For many consumers, it is becoming increasingly important that they are informed as transparently as possible about the manufacturing and processing process when purchasing a product. Since the desired transparency is often still lacking, we will give you an overview of the production process for lambskins below.
1.1 Slaughtering and skinning
As already mentioned, the production of lambskins is a traditional craft that has continued to develop over the years. But just like several hundred years ago, production today still begins with the slaughter and skinning of lambs. Nowadays, there is an animal protection law that must be observed during slaughter. During the subsequent skinning, the skin and wool are separated from the meat using a knife cut and carefully pulled off. In order to produce lambskins as sustainably as possible, an attempt is made to use as many by-products as possible from lambskins slaughter.
1.2. Preservation and preparation of the fur
To ensure that the fur does not rot or decay before further processing, it is then salted. The preserved fur can then be stored under suitable conditions and transported for further processing.
1st3 Tanning of the lambskin
A particularly important step in the further processing is the tanning of the lambskins, as this influences the quality of the lambskins. Depending on the tanning method, it affects softness, color and durability.
Traditional tanning processes include vegetable and chemical tanning. As the names suggest, vegetable tanning uses only vegetable tanning agents, while chemical tanning agents (e.g. chromium salts) are used in chemical tanning. Modern tanning methods usually place particular emphasis on sustainability and environmental friendliness.
finishing and finishing of the lambskin
After tanning, the lambskin production process continues with the finishing and finishing of the lambskin, so that at the end of this production phase, a simple natural product is transformed into a noble quality product that should meet the requirements for sale.
2.1 Washing and drying
First, the lambskin is washed thoroughly to remove any tanning residue and then dried. Traditionally, lambskin was almost exclusively air-dried, but modern lambskin production often uses machine drying. Although machine drying is much faster, it is rarely the preferred option as there is an increased risk that the lambskin will become deformed or hard. With traditional air drying, the lambskin is dried gently without heat and shaken regularly to ensure that the fine lambskin fibers remain soft and cuddly.
2.2 Shearing and shortening
Once the fur is completely dry, the fine work begins. Since lambskins are of natural origin and the length of the wool fibers can vary greatly, the furs must be sheared to achieve an even pile height. The desired pile height naturally also depends on the intended use. For example, a longer pile height is usually preferred for carpets, while lambskins for clothing are usually sheared relatively short.
2.3. Coloring and further finishing
Finally, some visual and tactile fine-tuning can optionally be carried out. For example, the lambskins can be dyed. Whether in natural colors or synthetic colors - there are no limits to your imagination.
To support the natural fluffiness and suppleness of the lambskin and to ensure years of durability, softeners and finishes can be used.
quality control and sorting
3.1. Assessment of coat quality
To ensure complete customer satisfaction, all lambskins are thoroughly checked for quality before sale and assessed in particular on the basis of their softness, density and uniformity. Depending on their quality level, the skins are classified as high-quality or lower-quality. Many manufacturers offer the lower-quality products at a reduced price, so that on the one hand the sustainability aspect is maintained and on the other hand there is a suitable skin for every budget.
3.2 Packaging and shipping
If the lambskins meet the quality standards, they can be the specific shipping standards to the end consumer.These standards include, for example, special ventilated packaging, cool, dry storage and the shortest possible transport times.
Environmental and sustainability aspects in lambskin production
As our society's values evolve, more and more people want sustainable and environmentally friendly products. Manufacturers are aware of this, which is why they are paying more and more attention to compliance in lambskin production.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be said that lambskin production manages to combine modern and traditional in a very special way. Traditional craftsmanship creates a stylish natural product that meets contemporary quality standards and adheres to modern values such as sustainability and animal welfare as best as possible. This is the only way to end up with a soft and shiny lambskin that will decorate your home in a cozy and trendy way.