Pictures sent in from customers

Featuring Baileys the dog... Thank you Karen for sending this one in. Buy a lambskin rug from us by clicking here. 

Thank you Jayne for sending this one in of your cat loving one of our sheepskin rugs

Thanks to Chris and Liz for buying an extra large sheepskin rug and sending us this picture.

Thanks for sending this lovely piccy in Eddie, buy your sheepskin cushions here.

Sheepskin for baby

Today at the market a lovely chap bought a medium sized sheepskin rug from us.

Quite regulary people want small rugs for push chairs and car seats. Here's a though; why waste your money on that when you can just fold it up and have it for multi purposes? 

Use it as a play mat, sofa throw, cot, car seat, pram etc etc they are a hundred uses and why not?Our British Sheepskin rugs last for many many years and I bet you a child grows up with it. I've experienced this myself and heard of many instances where kids and even adults still have theirs since childhood. After all another name for it is comforter...

Don't waste your money buy our British Sheepskin rugs. No mucking about!

What's the difference?

Allow me to set the scene...

We were at market last Sunday and a man in his 30's while looking slightly hungover asked a simple yet funny question...

And here is the build up.

I turn to this young chap as he stands gazing at the various rugs we have on display. He asks very politely about the rugs, normally the question goes like this,

"How much are the rugs?"

Now at this point I spring into my sales pitch and basically tell him one is extra large sheepskin which costs £120 and another is lamb costing £60.

Here is where we go to the title of this post.

'Whats the difference?"

I couldn't quite understand his question. Did this polite young man really not know where sheep come from. Am I going to have to explain to him that lambs are merely baby sheep. Of course this was a man in his 30's, surely he knew about the birds and the bees. But this was a customer, one can't go patronising customers. Especially if I need to build rapport and promote our sheepskin products. So I casually say,

"The lambs hair is much softer..."

To which a quick reply came back along with a laugh,

"Oh right..." Said the young man. 

"Of course the lamb is a baby sheep."

I'm glad to say the awkwardness passed us by very quickly as we had a giggle and he proceeded to justify himself by telling me he was extremely hungover.

Classic

Some more happy customers with our Cossack Hat

Here at British Sheepskin we believe that there is a Cossack Hat for everyone... We already know it looks fab on you. Here are some happy customers from the market.

It's such a joy to see people's faces light up when they walk over and feel the fluffy real sheepskin before they even try it one. All our products are handmade from the very best sheepskin so of course they last and last. And in my best northern accent, "Quality..." I have roots in Yorkshire.

They can be brushed to maintain their fluffy appeal or left to go curly and back to their original state.

My father made my mother a Cossack hat many years ago and we've since been making them for other people.

When you wear one of our British Sheepskin Cossack Hats people will ask you where you bought it from.

Can I pull it off?

Of course you can... the hat speaks for you.

Buy a Cossack Hat here.

Trading on a market

To really get to know your customers I highly recommend trading on a market. This doesn't only help you see how your product is received to the public but it also is a great way to do some PR.

Our market stuff, two people and four bags.

So we take to the road with our market stuff and head to setup for the day. We get to Greenwich market for about 8:30 where the market manager decides where we go.

Setup in progress

Setup process takes about two hours and of course it has to be right. After all this is the way you introduce yourself to new customers. We all know what they say about first impressions.

The skirt is attached along with a smart table cloth.

A trusty mascot is non essential but goes with our charm. It's a sweet little lamb called Corky.

Signs are important and make sure you maximise the space.

You're amongst other market traders setting up while the atmosphere is full of anticipation.

Other traders lend their support and help just like a family unit.

Please note the cup of tea. Very important on an early cold morning.

Our market stall is finally ready.

Bring on the customers.

It's tiring but at the same time so satisfying. We speak to many people during the day about our sheepskin products which we really love and care about. I would highly recommend it to every and all small businesses.

If you would like to buy directly from our website please visit British Sheepskin

Our Cossack Sheepskin Hats

So what's so special about our British Sheepskin Cossack Hats anyway?

This hat is just special and we know and so do people that see it, walk by it and try it on. It literally ticks all the boxes.

1. First of all it's handmade and made from the very best British Sheepskin Rugs.

2. Each hat is unique and can be styled accordingly. What on earth does that mean? Well due to the natural way we have produced our products the fur will start going back to it's natural curly state if not brushed. So this means it can be brushed, blow dried, swept and shook.

      

All the pictures above were taken from random from people who bought from us at the market, a couple of my family and one picture of Nicole and I in a tunnel. Nicole is the one on the left :-)

Here is a picture of me rocking the sheepskin Cossack hat...

 Real people wearing real sheepskin hats...

We've seen the lovely transformations with this hat and may they carry on for many years to come. We said it before and we'll say it again.

It's the hat that suits everyone!!!

The size is approximately 24" but don't worry as due to one of the many natural qualities of sheepskin is it will mould to your head.

To Buy a Cossack Hat please visit our website www.BritishSheepskin.com

Greenwich Market

A few years back while Nicole and I were living in London we visited this lovely market and instantly fell in love with it. We mentioned to each other about having a stand here. This was long before we took on the Sheepskin business so it was really just one of those nice thoughts which wouldn't likely come to fruition. However here we are...

The process was relatively simple.

We applied online and filled in a form, we then had to meet the market manager between 11:00 - 12:00 during the week. Explain our business and introduce ourselves. This was a lot more formal than other markets we attended but we understood why. 

Those of you that haven't been to Greenwich then firstly I would highly recommend it. It's a small market and has so many interesting traders and items to hand. Unlike other markets they cannot afford to have the same items being sold. The market is unique and the market managers make sure it stays this way. So after you have your initial meeting you then get a trial day where they grade your stall and how you present yourself and product. This really is great as they really want to maintain this lovely market.

With all the traders that we have met while doing this PR campaign of getting our brand out there, we realise that in each market it's like being part of an extended family unit. Everyone is very welcoming and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get their brand awareness up.

My advice for anyone doing it like us in the winter period is to make sure you invest in thermals. Buy a thermos and don't drop it! Especially at the start of the day.

Buy British Sheepskin Rugs, Hats, Cushions and super comfortable slippers.

Clara the Sheep

One fine morning in the beautiful countryside of Kent, Clara decided she would go for an adventure. Now, keep in mind that Clara was a sheep and all sheep find that even a tasty new bit of grass can be an adventure. So please don't expect cowboys and Indians along with secret maps with buried treasure and that sort of thing.

Clara was the sort of sheep that thought outside the box, by this I mean she understood that all animals were different and led different lives. I mean when you speak to a cow they think you are mad for not being more cow and why are you on the other side of the fence when you should be with them in the cow zone. I mean really, what nonsense...

The chickens are no better, scared of simply everything and run around as if they have lost their minds. Squawking and clucking at almost everything, even scared of their own shadow. You speak to a chicken for a minute and it makes you want to be flapping and neck jolting. Of course we all know the chicken dance works in most scenarios and especially when a laugh is required at parties. Now we can go on and explain all the various animals among us but this story is about an adventure so lets get back to that.

One morning Clara was chewing on some dew fresh grass when a cat called Stormy proudly strided up to her. Stormy was a dark grey cat with two big yellow cat eyes. He was of course a very proud and egotistical cat very much the opposite to Clara who was so laid back that if she was anymore relaxed she would simply fall over. Now Stormy had seen something fabulous and knew how excited Clara would be once he told her. After much chatting about this special wonderful place that Stormy had seen they decided to start planning their adventure.

The cat and sheep planned this adventure for days. You see sheep like to do a lot of thinking why else would they chew so much grass. Cats on the other hand are 'do'ers but they love tactics, watch a cat hunt and you'll know exactly what I mean. So finally the plan was set, they were going to meet at the secret hole in the fence at first light on the night after the full moon. Of course being the lovely kind nature of sheep Clara made Stormy a perfectly fitted Cossack Hat which was perfect for keeping the chill out. They wandered down and along a dry but earthy lane which had a wooden fence running along the side. Stormy couldn't resist jumping up and down from it, if not showing off his jumping talents to Clara but certainly feeding his well oiled ego.

They finally came to the field which Stormy had described, bright magnificent yellows were everywhere. Big green stalks stood proudly with the most magnificent yellow things hanging from it. This is truly a fabulous place... Clara decided to eat the yellow things and after much crunmching and munching she lay on her back and gazed up to the sky. Today was most certainly a good adventure. They both cuddled together with big grins on their faces.

Handmade Sheepskin Cushion

Handmade Sheepskin Cushion

To create that great first impression in any room what better way than to have a sheepskin cushion, it literally jumps out at the eye when people see it.

Large Natural Sheepskin Cushion / Pillow

Our British Sheepskin cushions are made from the very best material and as you can see by the picture the hair is long and thick. We stuff our sheepskin cushions with sheepskin off cuts which give that extra softness. Nothing but pure comfort and luxury…

On the Reverse side we have a sewn a sturdy zip so the cushions can be easily washed if necessary. See one of our previous posts about washing natural sheepskin (Click here to view). With this easy easy zip you are also able to change the inside of the cushion by adding more or less depending on your own comfort preferences. We personally fill them up to the softness we prefer. See the picture below to get a better understanding of the British Sheepskin Cushion.

Large Sheepskin Cushion by British Sheepskin

You can see by the picture that it has a suede back which is what you would expect from such a luxury item. Each cushion is priced at £59.99 and you won't be disappointed by the quality that you are getting. This product will last you for many, many years, we have had the same product in our home for over 15 years and we expect them to last another 15.

When you think to buy Sheepskin products remember it’s about the quality and durability that goes with it. Think British Sheepskin.

The Cossack / Russian Style Hat

The Cossack / Russian Style Sheepskin Hat

All our sheepskin products are handmade at British Sheepskin and this one is in particular another family favourite. Yes it's true all the boys as well as the girls wear them in our house but only at particular times which just happens to be when we have all had a skinful. We seem to get into one of those, 

"Let's all wear a silly hat!"

Our Cossack / Russian hats aren't normally described as silly but when a room of fully grown men put them on believe me the atmosphere changes. Empowering and simply fabulous... Well that's what we think in any case.

The word or name Cossack actually refers to certain groups of people that lived in Eastern Europe and Russia during the 16 to 18th century. They were military in nature and many served as border control for various towns and valuable trading posts. Due to the cold weather they needed to keep warm hence the fur hat. At British Sheepskin we actually use sheep instead of fur as with a sheep the entirety is used for various purposes. Nothing goes to waste with a sheep.

A Cossack wearing a Cossack / Russian style hat

As you can see by the picture above a lot has changed but the same design is still there. When you buy a Cossack / Russian hat from British Sheepskin and put in on your head you instantly feel like it will be keeping you nice and warm.

These type of hats don't normally come in many sizes especially when they are made out of sheepskin. The nature of sheepskin is to stretch to fit your head perfectly. The size starts around 23" but once you wear it it stretches to become a nice snug fit.

British Sheepskin Cossack / Russian hat

So When did the Cossack / Russian hat come into fashion?

It was actually Look magazine that was allowed to go into Russia in 1967 to photograph the fashion and what was there but the fashionable Cossack hat. Many different furs were used for these glorious hats. See her Royal highness below wearing a fox Cossack / Russian hat click here to see more on NIBS blog.

Queen Elizabeth II wearing a Fox Cossack / Russian Hat

We pride ourselves on quality and using the very best material so you can feel comfortable when you buy from British Sheepskin.

Sheepskin Rug Test

Sheepskin rug test

When comparing sheepskin rugs there are many different types out there so it’s good to have a little knowledge of what to buy. Here are a few pointers to guide you along with a direct comparison.

Here are two of my own, both have their uses and neither are thin haired.

The Pile

Sheepskin pile basically means how many fibres are in a square inch and the thickness of each fibre. It depends what you are looking for and I think long pile looks great and is extremely soft but if you are walking on it everyday it will likely get tangled and will need to be brushed out. So if you are looking for something which is going to get a lot of usage then you should look to buy short pile.

Short Pile (as shown above) is good for sitting on
Long (as shown above) is good for lying on, having as a rug, or draping over something like a bed or back of a sofa.

I mentioned earlier that you should also be aware of thick and thin fibres. This comes down to the quality and how the skin was treated. Good quality will have a thick lushness to it, a good test is to see how many hairs you can hold it up by. The better quality the less hairs you will need to elevate the rug before they are pulled out (Of course I’m not suggesting you go round the shops pulling out chunks of wool).

Both Sheepskin rugs you can see are both used on a daily basis in my home so I apologise on the colour of the short haired one as this is the one I use on my office chair. I picked up the yellow sheepskin from a shop in Suffolk for £20 he sold this to me as it wasn’t a good shape and neither was it a very nice colour. It suits me for the purpose.

You can see the density of the fibers and the short length.

The other sheepskin rug is much bigger, fuller shape with longer hairs and is sold for £119.99. This is my personal favourite as I love the long hairs which gives it an extra softness.

Extra Large Sheepskin Rug with long hairs, full shape and very soft.

When making your choice be careful not to buy the thin haired as it will likely not last very long. It should last for a very long time, so buy sheepskin rugs right, do the test.

Sheepskin Christmas Traditions

Around this time of year we love to hear about different family traditions and the things that bring loved ones together at this special time of year. I was absolutely delighted when one of our customers shared some details of her traditional Christmas experiences in Italy. Did you know that sheepskin plays key role in the traditions in the wonderful land of gelato and gnocchi ? 

Zampognari are  shepherds who live in the mountains . We have been told that they are usually strong mountain men that live very rich and wholesome lives in some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Zampognari  come to the towns at Christmas time to  see members of their family and spread Christmas cheer in a unique way. You see, Zampognari are often skilled musicians and they play a whole range of instruments including a special kind of bag pipe which is made partly out of sheepskin. We love the homemade musical stick played here - check out this video: 

As you can see the traditional clothing is a shaggy sheepskin vest- no doubt these keep the Zampognari feeling warm and fuzzy just like wearing our Sheepskin accessories or snuggling up on a sheepskin rug.  

Here are British Sheepskin we love a bit of festive music. One of our favourite traditions is to gather around our fire (the best spot is of course the extra large British sheepskin rug in the middle ;-) and enjoy each other's company with some drinks and nibbles - Bauble or Bing usually playing in the background. Once our bellies are full of mulled cider and mulled wine or hot chocolate for the children we all put on our sheepskin hats and mittens before braving the cold to attend our local carol service :-) . As we are still mastering the art of all singing in tune we think we will leave the bagpipes and other instruments to the skilled Zampgnari, but we would love to join them one year . Check out one our family favourites, you know you love it: 

How to wash a sheepskin rug

How to wash a sheepskin rug

Please note that this only applies to natural sheepskin rugs and any dyed sheepskin should be taken to a professional dry cleaners and we suggest only using one that has experience with these sort of products. Sheepskin should be handled with the correct care in order to maintain the natural softness.

Natural Sheepskin Washing Process

A natural British Sheepskin rug can be hand or machine washed at 30 celsius or less and even cold water. You must use a very gentle detergent such as Nikwax Wool Wash or similar. You should NEVER use bleach, Woolite or laundry detergents like ‘Persil’ on your sheepskin rug. These are harsh detergents for your sheepskin and will strip off the softness from your wool and also make the leather underside hard. If you put your sheepskin on a machine wash use the gentle cycle. You will need to get rid of any excess water and we suggest using the spin cycle. The next step is to stretch out the sheepskin rug to its original shape while it’s still damp and pliable. This is a VERY important step and can only be done at this time, after all you want the sheepskin rug to be the same shape as it was before the cleaning process.  

Natural Sheepskin Drying Process

Never ever put your British Sheepskin rug in a tumble dryer or iron it. Sheepskin rugs should ONLY be air dried by lying flat or hanging on a line. Never put them in direct sunlight and you must never use artificial heat of any kind as this can and most likely will damage your sheepskin rug.

Restoring the Sheepskin Look and Feel

Once you have washed your British Sheepskin rug the wool might be curly and flat like it is on the sheep. The British Sheepskin Rug was straightened at the tanning process. To restore the sheepskins fluffyness you simply need to brush it out with either a wire brush or comb. We find a dog brush works well. The best method is to brush at three stages of the cleaning process. First when wet, then when damp and finally when dry.

Disclaimer

Due to the delicate nature of Sheepskin and that we cannot supervise the washing process, we in no way guarantee the result. This includes customers who buy a British Sheepskin rug.

The story of Conkers the Sheep

Conkers

We like to encourage our followers on Twitter to name our sheep here at British Sheepskin. Sometimes we like to create a little story to go along with it just for a bit of fun. Here is the story of Conkers from Little Conkers.

There is a well known fact about Conkers, he simply loves to be scratched behind his right ear. And unlike other sheep he makes the strangest little cheerful sound when you get it just right. One sunny Spring day farmer Giles came to visit just happened to be at the same time when Conkers was getting his daily scratch.

In a croaky Cornish accent farmer Giles said, “Thaat’s tha strangist sound I’ve herrd from any sheeeep but how laavely”

What farmer Giles didn't realise was Conkers was a bit of a special little fellow and loved getting some attention. It was of course humorous for the tickler or scratcher depending on your style due to the lovely little sound he made. Now being that Conkers was indeed a special little sheep we decided to take him into the farmhouse and domesticate him. If anyone was upset they could scratch behind his ear, Conkers would make that little noise and all would be made better.

For many years Conkers lived in the farmhouse and for many years he brought lots of joy to the family, he even had his own knitted sweater with his name conkers written on it.

To name one of our sheep and have a story written about him please follow us on Twitter and we at British Sheepskin will do our best to deliver what we promise.