Mehreen Alberts
Since the dawn of man, human beings have fashioned coats out of animal skins to stay warm in very cold climates 😉 For ages, sheep have proven to be excellent suppliers of top quality pelts 😎 Shearling lambskin is also known as sheepskin, but true shearling comes from a young lamb, whereas sheepskin is obtained from grown sheep. Why is this distinction important? Because sheepskin is rougher to the touch and not as soft as shearling. But shearling coats are not only incredibly soft, they are also amazingly warm, so any shearling coat is an excellent investment for those who live in extremely cold climates. [1]
First the number one question is what is the difference between a Sheepskin Coat and a Shearling coat or jacket? The short answer is shearling is the process of tanning and conditioning the skin of a shearling lamb with the fur still intact. The terms are often used interchangeably to describe both a sheepskin or a shearling coat or jacket. However, a shearling is only the hide of a lamb and a sheepskin is the hide of a sheep. Wool is on one side and Leather hide is on the other. Most times the hide side is exposed and the wool side is on the interior to provide optimal warmth. (we say thank you to Malee Marcum for telling us). [2]
Allyson Helms from wildash.london provide further information. That said; sheepskin is more rugged and strong than any other cloth or material, more lightweight than fur, warmer than goose/duck down, and water resistant. Plus, it is not difficult to care for (usually, no need to take them to the dry cleaners… You can throw all our sheepskin in the washing machine, as well as your shearling coats and other sheepskin accessories, using our sheepskin wash, Woolskin). Moreover, if you don’t use plastic to store or wrap shearling items, they are moth-proof.Shearling makes fabulous products (e.g. Coats and sheepskin blankets) that are amazingly warm, which makes them ideal for extremely cold climate but also self-regulating, so can be used for much of the year in temperate climates. In other words, a sheepskin product is a lifetime long purchase and an investment well worth its money! [3]
Karakul lamb fur is, according to one fashion editor, “the cruelest and most vicious fur.” Designer Stella McCartney has likened wearing it to “wearing a fetus.” Also called “Astrakhan” or “Persian wool,” it comes from lambs who were killed as newborns or while still in their mothers’ wombs. Because their unique, highly prized curly fur begins to straighten within three days of birth, many Karakul lambs are slaughtered when they are only 1 or 2 days old. In order to obtain the skin of a Karakul fetus—which is also called “broadtail” in the industry and valued for its smoothness—the mother’s throat is cut and her abdomen slashed open to extract the unborn lamb. (emended by Meghan Worley on August 28, 2020) [4]
