Sheep leather

In the world there are about 1.2 billion sheep and lambs. 15 to 25% of these are slaughtered annually. Sheep leather, lamb leather and lambskin are second behind cow leather with about 10% of world production. 90% of the sheep are woolly sheep. The fineer and denser the wool is, the thinner and worse is the leather quality. Sheep leather ist used for book covers, clothing, gloves, leather accessories and occasional for furniture.

Italy is by far the largest producer of sheep and goat leather in Europe. Almost 34 million square meters of sheep and goat leather were produced in Italy in 2011. In the same period, almost 100 million square meters of bovine leather were produced in Italy. Germany, the third-largest leather producer after Spain in Europe, produces approximately 500,000 square meters of sheep and goat leather in the same year and approximately 8.5 million square meters of cow leather.

The hair pores in sheep leather.

For furniture, solid sheep leather with smooth surfaces are processed.

Sheepskin is related in its structure to gatskin, but less resistant. Sheeps are raised for the production of wool. There are countless varieties of skin with considerable differences in skin quality. Even with the same breed, there can be considerable differences due to the environmental conditions (climate, environment, food).

Furniture made of sheep leather is rare. Sheep leather furniture is then processed as patinated, porous aniline leather.

Typical sheep leather furniture.

Eine besondere Methode, um das Narbenbild des Schafsleders zu verstärken, ist die Schrumpfung des Leders. Solche Anwendungen sind beim Neckleder und beim Schafsleder bekannt. Bekannt ist diese Methode in Frankreich, wo das Leder als "Basane de Mouton" bezeichnet wird. Es ist ein pflanzlich gegerbtes Leder. Ausgewählt werden Schafshäute mit einer starken Narbung im Nacken, die als "Moutonage" bezeichnet wird. Es ist vergleichbar mit dem Neckleder von Rindern.